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MaruMA:Volume15:Prologue

2016-03-23T07:54:35Z

Alaxxis Sade:

[[image:15_KuniMA.jpg|400px|center]]

To my dearest father…

It happened rather suddenly, but you have grandchildren now.

I wonder what expression you’ll have when you find out? But you are a naturally shy person, perhaps you will resist the smile on your face until your cheeks muscles cramp, or maybe you’ll threaten to bury my whole body into the ground, leaving only my head on the surface.

But I believe you will be ecstatic to have new members in the family.

Their hair color and the thinness of their beards look just like you, no matter how I look at it, probably due to a trans-generation inheritance. And just like you they’re always saying things like “useless Pony, silly Pony”, probably also because of a trans-generation inheritance. And the way they express their feelings is very rough and painful, also like you…

For some reason, I’m feeling lonelier and lonelier.

Why is Pony the only one that looks different?

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| Back to [[MaruMA:Volume15:Illustrations|Novel Illustrations]]
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| Forward to [[MaruMA:Volume15:Chapter_1|Chapter 1]]
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MaruMA:Volume10:Chapter 5

2016-01-27T15:50:34Z

Alaxxis Sade:

===Chapter 5===

The Japanese oceans ripped apart by a typhoon.

The scenes I saw on TV during September, are now being reenacted before my eyes.

The only difference is I’m on a boat, standing in the middle of the storm. Although I say storm, the sky is clear and blue.

The clouds are moving a bit quickly, but all you see is the clear winter sky, even the winds aren’t that strong.

But the surface of the sea has waves crashing into each other and whirlpools.

The waves beating on the sides of the ship sweep across the deck, tall ones falling over our heads even ram continuously at the mast.

The guard ship patrolling around us has been blocked by the fierce waters, trapped in the distance.

Looking and the sky and the sea now, gives me the false impression of looking at heaven and hell.

“It shouldn’t be… a giant squid, huh?”

“Of course not. Around the continent of Seisakoku, there’s a special current known as the ‘natural defense’. This side of the sea is only calm for little over ten days every year. If you miss that period, no matter how skilled the voyager, no one can reach their country. It’s like having an invisible shield as hard as rock! It’s also why they were able to stay in lockdown for the past few millennia.”

Soaked to the bone by the water spray, we move to the control room.

As the ship is already slanted beyond any more slanting, we are forced to hold the rails on the walls and inch our way forth.

This feels a lot like the pirate ships I used to ride in those familiar amusement parks.

But Sara loses his grip on the slippery surface, and almost falls onto the slanting floor.

“Careful, Sara!”

Before I even reach out, Lord Weller has already grabbed his slender shoulder and pulled him back to his side.

Oh, right, because he gives off a very delicate feeling, I subconsciously feel like protecting him.

Problem is, he already has a dependable bodyguard by his side. He doesn’t need an amateur like me worrying about him.

On the other hand, my bodyguard put his right hand over his eyes, shielding the light as he looks into the distance.

“What a shame, looks like I don’t have the chance to show you my giant squid exterminating skills anymore. Ah—I get it. This isn’t a squid monster’s doing at all, it’s Seisakoku’s famous current, ain’t it?”

“Whatever you say, Josak, but it’s dangerous for you to stand so far ahead! Come back here quick, come back! Even if your biceps are really strong, if you’re swept down there by the waves there’s nothing for you to hold on to!”

“How mean, Your Majesty, do you only emphasize on my body?”

It’s hard to tell who’s the bodyguard, exactly.

Backing up to the entrance, Josak looks at me with a worried expression,

“…The guard ships can’t be seen with the naked eye anymore, and that’s both ships. Logically it’s impossible that they sunk, but it looks like they’re quite far away from us now.”

“What… does that mean?”

“We’re being forced into entering enemy territory without any weapons at all.”

I see, being a natural-born soldier, of course he would feel uneasy without a blade by his side for self-protection.

But we’re a peaceful ambassadorial envoy, if someone coming supposedly for peace shows off an exaggerated array off weaponry in self-defense, wouldn’t that be getting everything upside down?

Of course I’ll pray that the guard ships don’t get in any trouble, but even if they’re not coming along, I don’t mind.

“But first we have to safely get to Seisakoku. Anyway, if we don’t get past this obstacle, we’ll probably end up as food for the fishes.”

The control center of the boat is already soaking in water.

The three crewmen holding tightly onto the ship wheel are using all their weight to steady the ship’s direction.

To prevent the ship for flipping over, they must cross the waves at the right time.

“Who’s the star helmsman here?!”

That’s like the term they use in the culinary world. Hearing Saralegui’s voice, the man with the deepest colored hair turns around and says,

“It’s me, Your Majesty! But for safety purposes, please retire to your cabin and protect yourself with something soft!”

Saralegui presses his spectacle frame to stop his glasses from flying off on impact, asking,

“Do you have experience crossing these waters?”

The star helmsman raises his eyebrows and widens his eyes, looking surprised.

“Of course not, Your Majesty.”

“What about the captain?”

“Me neither, Your Majesty. Nationally-owned cargo ships can’t approach Seisakoku.”

The boy king ‘tsks’ unhappily, muttering,

“So at the end I’m the only one.”

I don’t understand what he means by him being the only one.

I look around to see if anyone else heard him say that, but the crewmen are putting their all in keeping the ship steady, looks like no one heard it.

By now I unconsciously grip my fist, telling them,

“Hang in there! No matter what, just hang in there! If there’s anything I can help with, please don’t hesitate to tell me!”

“Thank you… However, as the guest you had still better return to the safety of the cabin…”

The short man next to star chef murmurs, gritting his clenched teeth.

Sensing someone moving behind me, I turn around just in time to see Lord Weller walking out of the room.

His hair, shoulders and the back of his Dai Shimaron army uniform, have all been drenched and changed colors.

“Where are you…”

“Please return to the cabin, and Your Majesty Saralegui, too.”

Being forced under Josak’s protection, Saralegui makes a noise of displeasure, but he can’t stop me following after Conrad.

I think that he surely has a plan for the current situation, so I’m eager to find out as soon as possible.

“What do you want to do? Lord Weller?”

The pouncing waves beat on me mercilessly, if I’m not careful, there’s a high chance I will slip.

Just trying to catch up to him as I grab the rails is sapping me of my strength.

“Answer me!”

“I’m looking for someone.”

He walks down the stairs into the cabins, glancing at me.

After making sure that I haven’t been washed away, he sighs with an expression of resignation,

“I told you not to come with me, there really is no stopping you… It’s dangerous here, so keep closer to me.”

“This concerns the fate of the ship I’m on, of course I’d want to know how to face this. Besides, where I want to go is my own choice, right?”

“But by doing this, you’re forcing Josak to come find you after escorting Sara back to the cabins… You’re as good at troubling your guards as always… Be careful not to slip, watch your step.”

“I know that.”

I brush my soaked fringe away from my face.

Seawater has gone into my eyes and nose, and my throat feels tight and horrible too.

I clench my fist, trying to wipe away the stinging pain on my face, but the corner of my eyes just gets more and more painful.

“Ah, if you rub like that, you’ll…”

And after that Lord Weller falls silent, quietly crossing the pathway between the crates and lifting the floorboard from earlier to look into the dark ship bottom.

That’s the place the alleged slaves, the shinzoku are being kept.

The condition inside can only be described as ‘terrible’.

The water there is knee-deep, you can’t even sit down anymore.

Add that to the fact that there’s nothing sturdy and fixed in there to hold, so whenever the ship slants, people crash into the walls. Even so, they don’t scream. They just moan quietly and bear it.

“Hey.”

My voice attracts a few golden lights.

Those are the eyes of people who had risked their lives to escape Seisakoku, only to be deported back now.

“Are you all right?”

I really asked a stupid question, there’s no way they are all right.

If we don’t scatter them quickly, once the water comes in faster, they’ll all get three strikes and an out.

But how to explain to them in a language they don’t understand?

“Hey, if you don’t get out of here now, you’ll be in danger…”

Lord Weller turns back into the center of the ship, grabs a lit oil lamp and some paper he tore on the spot before jumping down, and I
carefully climb down the ladder too.

“It’d be great if there are any seamen or former navy officers amongst them. Because if they are someone related to Seisakoku’s sea transportation, perhaps they might have the skills to overcome this obstacle. At least they would definitely understand these currents better than Shou Shimaron crewmen.”

“Ah, I get it! It’s the ‘Are there any doctors onboard?’ approach, right?”

I don’t bother about my rude ‘what, so it’s just like that’ expression, and start yelling with all my strength in the middle of the shinzokus.

“Please help us! If any of us can steer a ship… Ah—Seriously, the language barrier again!”

“Hold this for me.”

Lord Weller stuffs the oil lamp in my hands, and then starts drawing with the charcoal on the huge piece of paper. Uh—A sun?”

“Is that the sign of the electric source?”

"No!”

“Then what is it… Conrad, you don’t seem to very good at drawing… Ah~ I get it! It’s the ship wheel, are you trying to draw the wheel? Lend me that for a while!”

If art results can be classified into an average five levels!

Being someone of approximately the second level, I reach over for the charcoal and draw a huge ship wheel on the back of the paper.

Drawing like this should be OK, right? And then I lift it like a round girl, high over my head.

“Can anyone here steer a ship?! We’re looking for someone who can turn the sort of circle on this paper!”

At first the shinzokus look at us like we’re monsters, but before long they leave the walls they were sticking to, and approach us slowly.

One man raises his hand timidly. His cheeks are sunken, and he looks like he’ll faint anytime now, but his deep golden eyes shine brightly.

“Are you a helmsman? Thank goodness, Conrad, we found one, there really is one!”

“Yeah.”

“Actually I was sort of skeptical too!”

We usher the man up the stairs without even asking him his name, because we have to get him to the control room as soon as possible, and ask him to help us cross the turbulent seas.

Conrad climbed up ahead of me, and I grab his hand, ready to leave the bottom of the ship.

“Wait a moment.”

“What is it?”

“We can’t leave these people here.”

There are more than a hundred gazes trained on us, could this be the only exit?”

“There’s no time now…”

“But what if the ship sinks? Staying down here, there’s no way they can escape. Everybody, this floorboard, this piece of wood here, it’s open! The situation is dire now, so there’s not a single guard. Please be prepared to board a lifeboat at any moment.”

But they just exchange uneasy glances, making me feel again the pain of a language barrier.

“Listen closely, this is open!”

“Your Majesty, please hurry.”

Hearing the familiar title, I heave a sigh of relief, thank goodness we understand each other.

“Conrad.”

I lean on the sides of the wooden crates to make my way back to the cabins, but I still don’t get it, so I speak up to ask Conrad, walking briskly beside me.

“Why didn’t those people come out?”

That place is no different from a cave!

“Although shinzokus are different from humans… but they didn’t get a humane treatment. If it was me, I’d have long since lost it, and would even go complain to the authorities.”

“Perhaps they were always taught not to resist, but…”

Just then, the man walking in front of Lord Weller turns around and says something to his companion.

“What happens after today is anyone’s guess.”

He’s probably talking about those who stayed where they were.

Although there were a few lines purposely lower in volume, but soon they become agitated yells.

Even if I can’t understand the contents at all, but when the ship shakes abruptly, and the three of us are thrown onto the crates, he says a few words even I recognize.

Venera? This shinzoku man just said Venera?

That was the word that showed up in the letter to me.

Although we’re not sure if it’s the name of a place or a person, Günter did say it’s most probably a proper noun.

So even if I don’t understand the verbs he was saying before, I still get the noun Venera.

I clearly heard, in this thin man’s spittle-flying highly-agitated speech, the word I know.

“Hey, you said Venera?! You just said Venera, didn’t you?”

I grab his clothes and shake him hard.

His clothes are like the girl who distributed the food earlier, nothing more than a piece of cloth tied with a leather belt.

“Tell me, what is ‘Venera’? The only hope Jason said, the thing Freddy asked to ‘save’. Please tell me, how do I save it? What is Venera to you?”

“Your Majesty!”

The stick-like body seems to be in pain, the way I’m shaking it. Forget speaking, looks like he can’t even breathe.

“Yuuri!”

Conrad forcefully wraps his arms around my waist, pulling me away from the shinzoku man.

My chin even knocks into his shoulder, the pain finally clearing my mind.

“You can’t understand each other at all.”

“Oh, yeah. Sorry… It was my fault… and this kind of question can’t be asked with my level 2 art results.”

The expression of the man who was randomly interrogated has become stiff out of fear and shock.

I don’t know if he can understand my apology this way, so I bow my head to him one more time.

“…Let’s go, or it’ll be too late when the ship sinks.”

“Does it start from the front?”

“Huh?”

His half-joking words make me forget about the crisis for a split second.

“When you say your art results are level 2, does that mean you’re second best from the front?”

“Don’t be silly, Conrad, of course I mean second last, counting from the back. It’s okay, you don’t have to comfort me.”

We chat lightly as we climb upstairs, but once we reach there it’s like the end of the world, because each of the crewmen is grabbing something to prevent themselves from being swept away by the waves.

Some of them even tied themselves to a pillar using thick rope.

If I’m not careful while advancing, I’ll probably fall flat on my face when the waves hit me from the sides.

The surface of the sea is so turbulent, but the sky is so beautiful it’s otherworldly. The sunlight shining down from above is bright and warm. It makes the few of us, being tortured by nature, feel like we’re being punished in hell.

But, just when I want to take a deep breath, my concentration is broken.

I had definitely distanced myself from the edge of the deck, but a green wave assaults me from above, hitting me on the face and loosening my grip on the corridor railing.

“Crap!”

Thankfully the rails on the edges of the deck blocks me near my stomach, preventing me from falling overboard, but I also have to thank Lord Weller’s reflexes, since he is holding on tightly to the back of my kitchen uniform.

He would probably ask me ‘are you okay’, as usual.

I sneak a peek at the surface of the sea I nearly plunged into, and having rushed to my side, Conrad also glances at the ocean with his brown eyes.

There’s a whirlpool there, a dark blue circle different from the surrounding waves.

“Are you okay…”

“So close, so close.”

I keep staring at the unnaturally bright blue spot in the middle of the whirlpool, feeling as though I’m being sucked in.

I remember this feeling, but I can’t remember where I felt it before, so it frustrates me.

Lifting my head to look at Conrad, now almost shoulder-to-shoulder with me, I realize that he seems to be thinking the same thing.

I even feel as though a white hand might come out from there, grab my neck and pull me down.

Maybe I will painlessly, without a single clue as to where I am, be brought down to the depths of the sea where my lungs don’t work…

It feels as though someone is calling my name from a distance, so I take an unconscious half-step forward.

Logically speaking, I wouldn’t have fallen in.

If someone hadn’t pushed me from behind.

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|-
| Back to [[MaruMA:Volume10:Chapter 4|Chapter 4]]
| Return to [[MA_Series|MA Series]]
| Forward to [[MaruMA:Volume10:Chapter 6|Chapter 6]]
|-
|}

MaruMA:Volume13:Chapter 6

2016-01-09T08:02:37Z

Alaxxis Sade:

==='''Chapter 6'''===
<br/>
My last secret was known when we were right beneath the hole leading to the surface.

Until then it somehow went unnoticed. While proceeding in the passageway I stumbled many times and would grab onto Conrad's clothes, I would only say that it's because I didn't eat anything for five days that I couldn't walk properly. Even though he sympathetically offered to carry me I said I don't want to lose my muscles like this, Conrad reluctantly gave in.

I didn't think that I would be to hide it till the end of the journey but the truth is it was unexpectedly early. The moment I try to ride a horse and fall in the sand while getting on it would be a laughable scene, that's what I expected.

It was just past noon and the sunlight was still bright, it was reaching up to the bottom of the hole lightening it up. It was so bright, I couldn't see anything, not even shadows. Everything was pure white.

I can hear Hazel Graves' high-spirited voice from far above.

"Are you done with your business ? If so then hurry up and climb up by yourself. You are as fast as it would take me to write down my whole life's story !"

"Please give me some time."

I finally replied in a loud voice. There must be a rope hung down from the surface somewhere in this flood of light but it’s so dazzling bright that there's no way for me to search for it. It felt as if its white darkness.

"All right I'll climb ! All right I'll climb ! .....umm... I wonder if I'll be able to climb on my own."

"I won't let you do such a reckless thing. Hold on to me. I've already secured the rope. Yuuri, give me your hand...."

It was at that time.

Seeing the sunlight after a long time was dazzling, I couldn't even make out the shadows. Also, the sunlight was warm so I couldn't tell his position by his body temperature or movements. On top of that since the place was dorm-shaped the sound echoed, I couldn't tell his position even by his voice.

All the elements were working against me, I had stretched my hand in the opposite direction.

"I'm here, your majesty."

"Oh! That side."

I failed for the second time.

"Wait, it couldn't be....."

I can't hide it like this any longer. I admit defeat and cover up my eyes with my left hand. Relieving me from the painful white, I could finally see a gentle shadow coming towards me.

"I can't see. It's been like that for around two days I think. I don't know exactly from when."

"You can't see ?"

"That's right, like this I can't see anything other than the faint colours of light."

"....Is it because....of the darkness ?"

"Even I thought the same but"

It is said that you can diagnose the symptoms by touching, Conrad held my cheeks with his hands and stroked near my eyes with his thumb. When I closed my eyes, he gently pressed my eyelids.

"Do you think it's because your eyes can't get used to the light since you were in the darkness for a long time..... really ?"

"Unfortunately, that's true. Even with the torches, even with the light seeping through the hole in the ceiling, I can't see much. I can only guess by the lights and shadows. But I'm used to it now. Because there was someone who taught me how to find the sun."

Conrad most probably didn't hear the last part, not to mention he lamented like a calamity had befallen himself. It's rare to see him drop his guard like that.

"What are you saying ! Why didn't you tell me earlier ?"

"It's a question of priorities."

"Priorities...don't say such things"

But it's true. Humans can confirm something having experienced it firsthand. And it was the same in this case. I only realized the feelings inside me when I told Conrad about it. I'm only lying if I say it's not a big deal. But if I think of it as "On a scale of ten, how much painful is it ?" then my vision problems would be either six or seven out of ten. Compared to the other two issues at hand, it’s not that important.

That's why I tried to hide it.

"If I put it in the order of importance, it would be third. We need to be careful about Saralegui's involvement with the boxes, and even about Yozak....even that is important, its painful that he's gone. My eyes can't see....it's worse, but that's my problem. Because of that the world won't be in danger or someone won't have to lose their life, nothing tragic will happen. That's why I thought its fine even if no one realized it but looks like it was not possible after all."

I couldn't suppress the embarrassing smile on my lips.

"I didn't want to worry you over little things."

"....I already told you it's my duty."

While talking, I became used to standing in the light.

The dazzling white had turned slightly yellowish, it changed to a milky colour.

"Please don't make such a sad face. Even if I can't see I can tell what face you're making. It's not anyone's fault, its only my personal problem."

If I look at the heavens, I can see the sky which I told in my dreams.

If I turn towards someone I can tell if they are there.

"And if I think about it, its not like I've completely lost my eye-sight. When I was underground even I was a upset, I panicked since it was dark and I couldn't see anything, I could barely distinguish between light and shadow......you could say that all of a sudden my vision became really bad."

"Lights and shadows.....how much can you see ?"

"hmm... for example the sky is the colour of water barely white. And if there is a pure white circle, then that is the sun. Conrad looks like..."

If I reach for his hair, I can't clearly distinguish it as brown but...

"Because it becoming dark, it looks like a faint gray. Its like a proper human figure drawn in the sand on the seashore with the foot. I'm sorry if you feel bad."

Without thinking I blurted it out and hastily apologized. No one would be happy to be told that they look like they have been drawn by foot.

"You can only see human figures."

"Don't worry, I don't have cat ears or something. When I was in that passage-way, I couldn't see anything since there was no light or shadow. But it's different now. If there is something in front of my eyes I can tell, I can tell that you are right here Conrad. The sun really is amazing !"

I raised both my hands to the heavens. My whole body was covered by sunlight. I wanted to shake off the five days of soot wrapped around my body.

"Thanks to the sun it feels like being surrounded by milk. The pitch black darkness has changed to white darkness."

"White darkness...."

He had an unkind expression, for while Conrad made an unkind expression, he fell silent for a while. After that he reluctantly asked me.

"But how did you end up like this. Did you somehow damage your eyeball or optic nerves ? For example, did some insect enter your eyes or were you hit by stones or mud."

"hmmm.... I can't remember anything like that. But if something happened while I was fast asleep then, maybe I rolled over in my sleep and hit my head somewhere..... my eye-sight might return if I'm hit with the same force again."

"Isn't that memory loss."

"Maybe its a change in personality. It could be something else altogether."

The light gray human form slightly moved up and down. He heaved his shoulders and let out a not so serious sigh.

"Its alright, its alright. I will...."

"Stop"

Wait ! Without letting him finish his sentence I placed my palm near his face. As usual he was going to say some cool dialogue refreshingly that would make your whole body itchy.

"You don't need to say it Conrad. Your eyes are your own, I have these two eyes....right now. They're right here, aren't there ?"

"Yes. Its my favorite black."

"That's right, its more than enough. By the way we are making the guys on top wait for quite some time. Isn't Hazel considerably shot tempered ?"

Right at that time someone was looking into the hole. When they came close to the light source the colour of their shadow darkened.

"Hurry, climb up alone."

"huh"

The voice in my memory echoed.

"Alone, by myself ?"

"This voice is coming from the people above right. Did they bring an interpreter ? That will be of great help to rescue Jason and Freddy, its a good thing to have many people who have mutual understanding..... Conrad ?"

When I realized the surrounding atmosphere had changed, without realizing I started whispering.

"Did something happen ?"

"Shhh! Your majesty, please step back a little. This is very strange, why would they need to call out to us.... that too they said to climb up alone."

Conrad pulled me behind again and shadowed me so that they wouldn't be able to see me from above. Come to think of it, earlier Hazel said the same thing.

"Hurry and climb up alone."

"Hazel and the others know that there are two of us. There must be some reason why she's emphasizing on 'alone'".

"Did Saralegui do something sly again ?"

"That's not possible, because I have tied him up properly."

"But what if Shou Shimaron's reinforcements or search party come to rescue him...."

"They won't be able to find him so easily."

Just by his nonchalant way of speaking, I realized. Bag.... you stuffed Sara in a bag, didn't you Conrad. But after that "Exploring the amusing underground passage tour with dark Saralegui" I just cannot bring myself to side with him. Its best if he stays stuffed inside that bag for now.

"This is very strange. I'll go on ahead and see the situation. Your majesty, please stay put here, do you get it, no matter what do not come a place which is visible from above."

After thinking a little he continued.

"Of course please don't even think of climbing up unnecessarily. Please don't do anything reckless till your eyesight recovers. Going to the veranda or kitchen is also forbidden."

"All right.... wait, you're gradually becoming like my mother."

With my vision like a pigment's thin thermography, if I jump in middle of disaster stricken party, instead of being of any help I'll end up dragging them down. I'll just wait here quietly. I'll crouch here and wait stooping down so that no one can find me.

But harsh roars and cliches which sound intimidating no matter how you listen to them are being exchanged on the ground which I watched quietly from behind. Words said like this are universal, you can understand them just by the feel.

I heard about it later but at that time the situation on the surface was like this.

When Conrad climbed the rope and looked from the hole, Hazel and the others and the closed bag were in a hold-up state, what's more they were surrounded by all sides, looks like there were men riding horses with a projectile weapon in their hands.

The attackers who fought for the supremacy and continued their struggle near the royal tomb were equestrian people. Indistinguishable from the sand in the desert they wore a yellowish gray cape and a hood of the same colour which covered everything up to their eyes that you couldn't even read their expressions. They positioned the crossbow like projectile weapons at chin level, ten people aimed at Hazel and the others while the remaining ten targeted Conrad.

Thanks to Conrad hiding in the hole like a prairie dog, before they could fire the pseudo-crossbow like weapons pointed at Hazel and the others, they immediately changed to plan B as soon as he tried to draw back his head,

Plan B, the rabbit that was pretending to be bitten. In other words, waiting for an opportunity while pretending to obey them.

He showed no intentions of resisting them, came out of the hole and joined the captives.

I, who knew nothing, was waiting like a good boy for them to tell me its ok to climb up. While I was waiting for their reply, exchange of unruly words had already begun on the ground.

After much of Seisakoku language, I could hear Conrad's reply.

"That was me !"

As soon as they interpret, I can hear Seisakoku language again. This time in a calm voice he replied.

"I'm alone."

Just by this conversation I couldn't affirm what Conrad was being asked. There is a possibility that the question was "Is this hat German ?" or "Are you married ?" However if you speculate from the tone of the people using Seisakoku language, the contents don't seem so friendly.

Those guys suspect whether there still might be some allies in the underground or not.

Although their suspicions are right, there's only a high school boy underground who can't even fight.

What should I do ? While only listening to half their conversation I was lost.

Should I appear in front of them like a man or should I just stay put in the shadows like Conrad asked me to. I don't think the situation will improve by me going to the surface. But what will I do if in the worst case scenario my comrades blame me for not showing up ?

While I was worrying about it the situation on the scene changed drastically.

Guessing only by the sound, people and horses, looks like both their numbers have increased suddenly. Are they the companions of the attackers, or are they the comrades of Hazel who continue the grass-root activities in the desert, or has a third force stormed in to create even more chaos.

Screams and angry voices echoing one after the other, they eventually merged. A sharp sound of something cutting through the air, the sound of heavy weapons clashing against each other, the sound of hooves stamping on the sand. The neigh of the horses. There's no doubt, unlike the leisurely atmosphere up till a while ago, its changing into a harsh battlefield above.

Along with a dull sound, something came down on the ground right in front of my eyes. From what I heard it seemed heavy and soft, for my mental health I went to confirm.

But thanks to him coming down and the rope swinging, I confirmed the path necessary to cross in order to reach the surface. A person is coming down with the help of that rope.

"Co...."

I shut my mouth and took a step back to where the sunlight couldn't reach. A triangular distorted shadow was hanging in the air, from one hand he stretched an elongated shadow. He most probably drew out his sword. His hem flutters when the wind blows. Maybe its the cloak that covers his whole body.

No, its not Conrad, he wasn't wearing these clothes.

I need to hide. Although I indented to follow my the orders given by my brain, I was a little late. Looks like the man who came down has spotted me. Stepping on pebbles he's coming this side.

My vision is getting pitch black as I run to the darkness that thins out the light coming from the ground and lean against a stone-wall.

Give up ! Get out before I to come and find you ! My breathing is becoming shallow and rapid, a cold sweat flows down my spine. My pulse raced like an alarm.

I don't have a weapon, even my eyesight hasn't recovered. If I'm attacked by the enemy in such a situation I can barely resist. Of course, even under normal circumstances I'm no match for a soldier. Escaping is just a matter of whether you're fast or not.

However my prayer was in vain, the man who had come down step foot even in the darkness. The last of the sunlight sparkled on the weapon held in his right hand.

A small star appeared to be afloat for a moment and then disappeared.

The opponent was gradually closing on the distance as I tried to conceal my breadth. I can hear him breathing close by. Still five more steps to go, four steps, three....

"....tsk !"

Jumping over the remaining two steps the enemy suddenly took a swing at me. It was a do or die situation, I threw my body to the right and rolled on the dry cold ground. Sparks flew from the stone wall that had the remnants of my body temperature from being hit by a heavy weapon.

This is no joke, is he trying to kill me, does he intend to kill me !? Me who is neither a warrior nor a soldier but a high school student ? A mere soldier is trying to injure me...

Its that feeling again. The frustrating feeling that my throat, my mouth belong to someone else's body as well at the same time.

"...Despite being a mere soldier, you dare to try and harm me...?"

The second attack cut through the air. I twisted my body and while avoiding even the wind caused by the sword I turned towards my assailants back in half a step. I gave him a blow on the spine with my elbow. If he is half or one step away, whether he can see it or not, I can attack him. Its only a question of whether I manage to land a direct hit him or not. Our situation is the same, even he shouldn't be able to see clearly. But if the enemy is a skilled soldier who is accustomed to using swords then even in the dark he should be able to fight picking up signs from his opponent. However he has only one weak point.

The enemy doesn't know the position of the wall.

Although my opponent didn't have a prey to swing at, he had a splendid sword. If the blade hits my flesh, it will pierce and cut right through but if it hits a rock, it will have some impact on the wielder and cause damage. By chance if it breaks and rolls down it will no longer be of any use. If I pick it up, I can use it against the enemy.

My opponent's blade swooped from the bottom, grazed my right side and hit the rock. It broke and split into two parts while emitting a loud noise which didn't seem to be that of a metal. The part with the hilt was in the hands of the enemy, while the other half with the sharp edge came spinning at high speed, hit my toes and stopped there.

Why did my body naturally carry out a move that I have never even learnt before, how did such a counter attack method come to my mind all of a sudden, I myself did not find it strange. However more faster than thinking with my brain, I stepped on the edge of the blade and with the tip of my shoe raised it slightly.

The cold piece of metal was within my hand's reach.

I couldn't afford to worry about my palm. The same goes for my enemy. He is coming at me to swing with the broken sword which doesn’t have a tip. Even I gripped the bare blade and quickly gave a horizontal swipe. The meal which was originally one sword, hurt two men at the same time.

A hot stimulus ran through my right shoulder and there undoubtedly was some reaction in my left hand.

My opponent's body suddenly kneeled over. The air which was filled with the smell of rusty iron surged towards me.

However finding the scent I certainly remember within it puzzled me. It wasn't only the blood.

"Wolf...?"

"Yu"

The body that had collapsed in my arms slowly turned.

"Wolfram !?"

"....Yuuri"

My sleeves and palms were completely drenched in some warm liquid. Wolfram's heaviness profoundly weighed down on my shoulders. While embracing him, I kneeled down on the ground miserably.

"I couldn't see, really, I didn't know !"

"Even me. I heard an unfamiliar voice....its not your....fault"

"Wolf !"

Everyone tells me that it's not my fault.

But in reality, everything is my fault.

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| Back to [[MaruMA:Volume13:Chapter_5|Chapter 5]]
| Return to [[MA_Series|MA Series]]
| Forward to [[MaruMA:Volume13:Short_Story|Short Story]]
|-
|}

MaruMA:Volume13:Chapter 3

2016-01-09T08:00:38Z

Alaxxis Sade:

===Chapter 3===
<br/>

Many pebbles kept falling, they hit my forehead and it hurt.

I covered my head with both my arms and got down. I pressed my forehead against the ground, my pose was as if I was prostrating. I don't know for whom or for what.

I stayed like that for less than three seconds.

While talking about being assertive, even before three seconds passed after receiving the wound on my cheek, unable to bear the fear I got down on the ground. Something unknown was coming to attack, it could have been a bird, it could have been a bat, or something even more dangerous, it could have been a ferocious animal. Even so I can't confirm it myself. Even though both my eyes are wide open, darkness is the only thing that is spreading in front of my eyes. I don't even know their number or whether they'll attack from the front or from the side. If I were to put it bluntly, I couldn't even confirm whether it existed in reality or not.

The darkness was increasing my fear.

Losing to my fear I got down on the ground and wanted to let the attacking creature get past. The trembling didn't subside. If I wasn't dehydrated I could have even shed tears and would have been crying in a loud voice.

I waited for a long time. But nothing happened.

Although in reality it could have been just a few minutes, but to me it felt as if I was waiting forever. But even without the wind grazing my cheek or any pain, there wasn't even any flapping sound in my ears. Nothing happened.

I fearfully resumed my breathing, let go of the fingers holding my head and raised my face up.

"Cre...."

Being completely thirsty, if I don't squeeze out my voice I can't talk.

"Yuuri"

Saralegui who seemed to have been near the wall came closer.

Along with the footsteps firmly stepping on the pebbles, I can feel the warmth floating in the air. He squatted down in front of me and before asking me if I was alright, he touched my cheek with his left hand. His fingertips were moist and cold, it smelled like damp soil.

"You're bleeding"

After that he brought his face very close to me. When I thought that his nose hit my cheek, he stroked my wound with something warm. With that peculiarly wet sensation, I understood that he had licked me.

"Does it hurt ?"

"No"

"I see, that's good"

It was not at all good for me.

I had indeed lost my eyesight, but my hearing and sense of smell were supposed to be normal. I still have ears and a nose. I can still pick up heat and other signs.

Even so other than the first hit, I couldn't feel anything. There's not even the smell or any signs of the beast around. There are no traces left of it.

"Was it a bird ?"

"Who knows. To be honest...... I only saw it for a fraction of a second and then ended up closing my eyes. It will be troublesome if they peck me and I lose my eyesight"

When I repeated lose your eyesight eh, Saralegui behaved a little like a spoiled child.

"But it went away. It's alright now, Yuuri"

"But"

After asking 'really !?' I looked around my own knees. Of course I can't see anything even if I turn around my head. However, at the same time there isn't any scent nor any feathers left around. I spread out my fingers and stroked around on the ground, the only thing that hits my palm are many small stones. I couldn't find a single feather of the animal that doesn't move in a flock.

"How can that be, this is strange"

I even touched my right cheek where it was bleeding. The wound that has not closed up hurt a little.

"Strange ? What's the matter ?"

"Except for this location......"

"It avoided you and went past you from both the sides"

"That can't be, it didn't even make any flapping sound, I didn't even feel any wind. It would even give off some smell right ? Since it's an animal after all ! But I didn't feel anything. It just hit me at first, and then there was nothing"

"Isn't that because you bent down ?"

"How could that be !"

As a habit from when I could see, I opened up both my hands in front of my face, I searched if there was even a single feather wrapped around my fingers. Of course it was useless.

"I know that I'm hanging my head down. Fearing, prostrating in front of an animal who can't even understand, if a flock of birds pass through such a narrow passageway I would know, I would know ! Since I still have my ears and nose ! Don't I !?"

"That's right normally"

"Then why......"

Since an unnatural amount of time passed before he replied, he stood up and most probably while looking down at me said.

"Because you're not in your right mind right now"

I heard his words as if it was a sentence being passes on a criminal.

"Although it goes without saying that you were hurt, you've lost your sanity due to exhaustion and agitation. It's only natural, on top of being tired from walking throughout, there's no water or food either. Being faced with the tragedy of losing a comrade. In such an extreme situation, even if it was me, it would be difficult to stay normal. That's why without even recovering your eyesight, your other senses have become unreliable. Even though so many creatures went past your side, you say that you didn't notice it at all. Yuuri, you are tired. Blaming and cornering yourself"

Saralegui placed his hand on my head, and with his slim fingers brushed through my hair. This posture is exactly like a lamb asking for God's forgiveness.

"There's no need to blame yourself for such a man"

"Are you saying that...... I'm going insane"

"I didn't say that. Just that, you are losing your sanity a bit"

"It's the same"

Something has gone insane. Something.

Just one word was going round in my brain. I'm feeling dizzy. As if on the verge of collapsing from a heat stroke, my body trembled. An unbearable pain came from within my skull as if something had hit me, from the head it went to my neck and down my back.

I'm going crazy, I'm not sane. Definitely something has happened. If not then there's no way I wouldn't sense what happened just. Encountering a swam of animals coming at high speed, there's no way that there wouldn't be any injuries.

If it really happened.

Unable to straighten my body, my trembling increases rapidly and when I noticed it I had fallen on the hard ground. I had collapsed sideways with on my left arm, unable to move like that I stayed still. My eyes are open. Both of them wide open. But nothing reflected in them.

"Yuuri"

Slowly pulling my knees near my stomach, rounding my back, I tried to become smaller. I tried to expose as little as possible to this world.

"I understand what you're thinking about"

The voice directly falls on my ears. Sara bent his body as if he was covering me and sat on the passageway made up of a mixture of mud and stones. His knees are touching the nape on my neck. Without even getting tired of it he played around with my hair and pushed the remaining that was on my cheek to the back of my ear. As if he was always doing it. His gesture of scooping out the blonde that's close to white with his slender fingers and gently putting it behind his ears looked very elegant.

"You're think that it would be nice if everything was a dream"

Instead of going through my eardrums, those words directly soak into my brain.

"You're thinking that it would be nice if everything was just a dream......even leaving the country, even to have meeting me in Shou Shimaron, even coming to Seisakoku with me, you're thinking that it would be nice if it was a dream. Even being separated from Lord Weller, even that guard dying, you're thinking that it would be better if everything was just a dream, right ? You're still in your home town, within your warm bed, nothing misfortunate has happened. You're just having a bad dream, a nightmare. However, no matter how sad the dream is, it's nothing more than a dream. Someone sleeping next to you will shake your shoulder and wake you up"

Someone will shake my shoulder.

They will wake me up.

"All this is just a nasty nightmare you're having at dawn. Isn't that right ?"

All this is just something I'm seeing at dawn,

"If you're thinking of that, then it's fine to consider it a dream"

A nasty dream.

"You can stay with me till someone wakes you up"

Someone.

......cha....n, Ken.....chan.

"Ken-chan !"

"Aa, uwa, what ? Am I late !?"

The one who was calling was Rodriguez. Murata jumped up completely astonished. Maybe the air conditioning was too strong, there's sweat at the back of his shirt. His pulse fastened and it was hard to breathe. As if he was just sprinting with all his might.

"You scared me, I thought someone was calling me in my dream"

"I'm the one whose surprised. I thought you were having a nightmare since you suddenly got up and screamed something like being late. Did you have a dream about your school ?"

"No, that's not it...... ah"

What was outside the window was a spectacle a hundred and eighty degrees different from Boston. The red cobblestone townscape was beautiful, even though it's new it made him feel nostalgic. There were no high-rise buildings nearby, the town was surrounded by greenery. It had the impression of a resort.

"Huh ? Where is this ?"

"It's Boston. It's the Freeport of Maine. We just passed by President Papa's<ref>He's referring to George H. W. Bush</ref> summer house"

"It's too far to see anything anyways"

"Maybe"

On a plot deep within a wide lawn, there was a white and red building. The roof is in a lower position than the forest behind it. Just from being named port, the smell of salt sometimes mixes in the wind.

"Since the work finishes at 5 o' clock, the meeting place with them is here"

"The cafe here has a reputation for being delicious !"

Olsen, who got down earlier said that with pride. Even Murata got out of the car and stretched his back. All the muscles throughout his body had been coagulated, made a sound that even others could hear as the loosened up.

The man who had promised to meet them, will he really bring "that" along.

The ashes or possible the pieces.

An old record plays classical music on a vintage radio, a the music is as if a soprano singer is singing a soprano, it's flowing somewhere into a distance. If the events until now were my dream and this music is reality, I wonder if it's a makeshift alarm clock.

Someone is singing. In my head, someone.

That person is looking at the sky, the clear daytime sky. However in the heavens which were supposed to be a deep sea blue with pure white clouds, without even an ounce of white or blue, there's only a curtain is spreading. I understood. That was the color of splashing waves mixing with the sea water I saw when I went to the open seas in the southern seas.

That was the color of the sea and waves mixing. I raise my voice so that I could tell her.

She answered 'Is that so ?'. But I can't see her. Although I'm hearing with my own ears and seeing with my own eyes, at the same time they are her ears and eyes.

She says is that so ? I didn't know, since I've never seen it. But this is the color of my sky. There's a slightly different color at the center, right ? That's the sun. It's most probably pure white. That's what I call white. And look at that.

I turn my neck as told. Half of my field of vision became extremely grey. It moves along with the wind that's hitting my cheek. I got it, it's a tree right ?

She laughs. She clapped her hands saying you can be very happy, that's right ! There's a tree over there. It's been there for nearly a hundred years now. Light is fluttering from within the leaves, right ? To me the tree is this color. Even though everyone says that it's green. Spring has the smell of flowers, summer smells like life. Autumn smells like withering death. Winter has the smell of sleep.

Smell of sleep ? I ask while tucking both my hands in my pocket. Everything gets hazy, I can't see anything clearly. But I'm not anxious. I wonder why.

She laughs again. You won't understand that unless you sleep. But I'll tell you one thing. If you don't know the smell of sleep that means that you're not sleeping.

You're not dreaming.

......not dreaming.

I'm not dreaming.

"This is reality"

I can feel a burning pain in my chest, with the left hand that had been pinned down below my body, I grabbed on to the cause. The demon stone that Hazel had returned had become hot, much more than my body temperature. On the other hand the gorgeous ring that was stuck to my pinky finger was becoming as cold as if it was freezing.

Since I took my hand out, my body inclined, I ended up being in the position that almost looked like I was in Saralegui's lap looking above. Although the ceiling of the underground passageway was pitch black just like the path ahead or the one we came from, if I watch carefully I noticed the irregularity in color.

Among the black that spreads all around, the direction my right hand was pointing at became lighter little by little. I follow the changes my turning my neck, the black slightly turned into grey, and in the grey there's a spot that turns close to white.

"Over there......"

There's the sun.

Although I tried to say that, it's too dry that it couldn't turn into words.

"Yuuri ?"

I must go. Even this couldn't turn into words. That's why I kept quiet and with the help of my elbow raised the upper half of my body and bending my both my knees I leaned sideways. Although I was finally able to stand, my feet staggered and I was in no condition to keep my body upright. As if I hadn't moved for many hours, I felt as if I had become a horse who had forgotten how to walk.

Even so, I somehow searched for the wall with my right hand and started walking towards the white spot overhead.

"Are you still going to walk ? Can you walk ?"

After coughing many times, I was finally able to let out a hoarse voice.

"I can't just keep sleeping, I must get out of here. E..even you"

Since I forced myself to speak, a pain ran down my throat as if it would crack.

"You won't be able to walk if you carry me"

Due to my sharpened senses my ears definitely heard the sound of Saralegui being amazed and cooing. From that moment on, his tone was mixed with dissatisfaction and pride, his friendly tone disappeared.

"You're a troublesome guy"

"......what did you say ?"

"Although I was waiting for you to be unable to move, you just don't collapse. Do you plan to walk on your willpower or are you planning to proceed crawling"

Along with the sound of rustling of clothes, a faint smell of sweat reached me. He even sweats...... I think vaguely. As if it doesn't suit him. Speaking of which, he's talking right now. From that delicate and gentle look, I can't believe such words are coming out of those lips that look like petals that are just about to open.

"The moment that man died, I thought it would go well, that I could finally corner you. Even so you tenaciously stand up. You won't become hopeless"

"......not that......easily"

"But he died. Because of you"

That's right, it was my fault.

"And to my convenience you even lost your eyesight. To have come this far any person would have become weak, even though I thought this time for sure. You're still going to try your best. Wow, I see, you're splendid Yuuri. You don't try to rely on me at all"

"Rely"

I rest my right shoulder on the rocks that were protruding from the wall. I can no longer stand properly on my own. If I advance, I'll be slower than a turtle. I'm dehydrated, I vomit, collapse, I even saw an hallucination. My hands and legs are trembling, I can't even speak properly. Even my ability to think properly and even my eyesight won't return.

I lost Josak.

Can anything be more misfortunate that that ? How much more miserable does he want to see me.

Even so he spoke.

"You won't break. You really possess a splendid and troublesome mind"

"If I did......"

A splendid heart ? What will happen if I did possess something so fine ? Would I be able to escape from here in one shot. Or if I could manipulate time with these hands, would I be able to rewind the time till before I made that mistake.

But what is the reality. Speaking of what I can do, I can talk, cough, take a breadth, and repeat all of that.

Indeed maybe even Saralegui noticed that part, he said in a sympathetic tone.

"Looks like your body is at its limit. And that is right Yuuri, how long do you think you haven't drunk anything ? Although you might not know for how many days, but you haven't put anything in your mouth for five days"

"It's the same for you"

"You thought it was the same for me ?"

I wonder what's so funny, the young king of Shou Shimaron held his body and laughed.

"You think I'm the same ?"

Maybe the hair he had tied became undone, it vertically cuts through the air. He grabbed my wrist, opened my palm and dropped a small quantity of something at the center. When it touches the skin it spreads sideways, it's something that doesn't have any shape. Although I curl my fingers in order to grasp it, the only thing that remains on my palm is a moist wet veil.

......it's wet ?

"......water ?"

"That's right, although it's mixed with soil"

Although I hurriedly brought it to my mouth, when I tried to sip there was only little mud left in my hands. With the face of a fool who dirtied his chin, I draw myself closer to Saralegui. Desire must have been sparkling in my eyes which could not see.

"Wh..why do have water ?"

"Calm down Yuuri. You're dirty"

He wiped my lips with his thumb. The moment I realized his body is getting closer, even without an impulse to stop myself, I grabbed on to Saralegui. It's no good, I shouldn't do such a thing ! To attack someone for water is not something a human would do. Isn't it on par with an animal. Even if I scream inside my head, I could not control my instinct with rationality.

"Oops"

However someone who can see can easily evade the hands of someone who can't see. He flipped a pebble and jumped back, I stumbled and hit against the wall.

"You couldn't see and were having nightmares. I went to drink water quite a number of times but you didn't notice it"

"......How can that be...... there wasn't any sound of a river at all"

"That's because it's not flowing. At times there were traces of wells contaminated by red soil at the corners of the path. Your ears couldn't hear it, your nose couldn't smell anything other than the damp soil"

"Give it to me !"

Although I spread out my hands relying on the voice without learning from my experience, I can't get a hold of him impatiently trying to sense his accurate position. My hands just cut through the air in vain.

"Give me dammit ! It should be fine if you share a little right !?"

"Share ? I see"

Saralegui said.

"Although having collapsed, if you would rely on me, cling onto me then I thought I would help you, but when it comes to you no matter how long I wait for you just won't behave in that manner. It can't be helped, Yuuri. I'll share the water with you"

His voice is as beautiful as always.

"It's no fun if you die"

Carelessly declaring that, he placed his finger on my chin.

"Open your mouth"

The water mixed with mud was poured, from my tongue to my throat, the moisture slowly penetrates. Although it's lukewarm, it's still cold enough.

"You want more ?"

It's not enough. Not enough at all.

"This is, too little......"

"You're being greedy, Yuuri"

I caught his shoulder and tried to jolt it but failed. Unable to support my body after leaving the wall, I took to my knees as if dragging just like that. I held onto to his waist, I rubbed my face against his stomach. And slowly shook my head.

"It's not enough"

"It's alright, I'll give you more. Well then, let's do this, if you can give the correct answer to my question, I'll let you drink as much as you like"

"Why won't you give it to me immediately, why won't you give it to me immediately ? If there is more then...... more......"

In order to make me silent, he placed his hand on my mouth. The tips of his fingers were wet. I even licked them. If it's water then anything is fine.

[[File:MaruMAnovel1303.jpg|600px|center]]

"Listen, I have an interesting story. Long ago, here in Seisakoku a woman gave birth to twins. It's nothing special since there are a lot of twins among Shinzoku. What was different than the rest was that her husband was an injured soldier, a stranger who had drifted from the mainland"

"What's with you, you can hear that anywhere. More importantly"

I grabbed Saralegui's clothes. The nails jammed with dirt impatiently scratch at his clothes.

I know the story about a demon who fell in love with a human whose only merit was his sword, even the story of a demon who made ties with a human girl in the land he was exiled to. From an amateur's point of view what was troublesome was their romantic feelings. Not my heart.

"It's interesting from here on, Yuuri. Although the woman became a mother, among the children she had given birth to, one immediately raised his first cry, the other one didn't raise his first cry even after half a day. It was half dead. What do you think the woman did ?"

"......lamented in sorrow......?"

"Wrong"

"Why ? She must have been sad !"

Sara shoot his head and with his fingers combed my bangs upwards.

"She did not feel sad. Hugging both her sons, she ran to the grave of the ancestors. She galloped on a horse on the path that was cursed and could not be passed by the living. How brave of her !"

"To bury the child ?"

"That's not it. She wasn't a woman who would be satisfied with just that"

"What else can she do. She must have wanted to let it sleep in peace, that's parental love, what else......"

"Don't be in such a rush"

Saralegui's little finger and thumb caught my temple. The tip of his finger nails graze the corner of my eyes. Feeling the pain my line of sight...... although I can't see, if I divert it, there was that white spot to the right skies of a faraway companion. It's the white that that person called the sun.

What am I doing ?

Even if it's for water, flattering this disgusting guy, depending on him. Isn't this exactly what Saralegui wanted. That ruler, while reaching my eye socket with his soft finger said.

"To make her still born son rest in peace with the ancestors, that woman was not someone who would be satisfied with just that. She tried to revive her son. By using the God's, the dead's and even her own horyouku"

"If she could do such a thing then......"

Then even I would do that. Anyone would do it !

"The outcome of that, what do you think happened ?"

I nod once but still shake my head. It's impossible.

"She cannot do that, she couldn't revive him"

"Correct. Yuuri, where are you facing. Look at me. The dead child wasn't revived, but he wasn't taken away to the world of the dead either. The thing that was left in this world is definitely not alive. Then what happened"

After keeping silent for a moment, he gave the answer himself.

"She ended up making a monster"

As his fingers encroached my eye socket, I reflexively shook his hand off. I felt like I was holding onto life.

"She ended up making monsters, two monsters !"

"Both the children ? Why"

"I wonder if I said that both the monsters were her sons. One of them is her son, the baby who was born half dead. But the other one is none other than she herself. Now she has power more than that of a Shinzoku's houryoku, she can manipulate the offensive dead at will. Let's just say that he's not as evil as his mother, she really is a monarch with overwhelming power. Although I don't know what was there in the graves......"

I cannot see a person’s face. Not to mention I cannot know the expression on someone's face whose in the dark. But this is the only thing I can easily guess. Right now, more than me who wishes for water, Saralegui making eyes that of a beast.

That's right, what he desires is power.

"It was a harvest more than that of reviving someone !"

"......I wonder"

"Of course it was. Because what she desired more than anything was to have a powerful heir"

And so he is jealous of her.

Of the one who received the power he couldn't.

Of the mother who abandoned him since he didn't possess any houryouku and his brother who obtained the power to surpass him.

"Didn't she just wish to revive it ?"

"That couldn't be. There's no way she would wish for normal children found everywhere. She was the woman who didn't even grieve the death of her baby, she even tried to abandon the child who survived since he didn't have any powers"

"That's not it"

I almost answered reflexively. Even though I didn't know about the family situation, even though I had no reason to defend the mother.

"That's not it, Saralegui"

It's useless even if I scold him saying what do you know. I must talk here, when I think that that scene cannot be transmitted to anyone's heart, it makes me feel that keeping quiet is cowardice.

That's why I spoke. Precisely since we are here in the underground in this darkness where there's no light nor even shadow, I thought it is important for me to remain like my usual self.

"The mother was sad. There's no way she wouldn't be sad. While hugging the babies, she prayed to God crying. That she didn't have anyone other than those children"

Help, please help this child.

O God, why do you want to take away the son from my arms that I was finally blessed with ?

I don't have anyone other than these children. Even though I don't have anyone other than you and these children !

The image of her back as young mother kneeled on the ground and burst into tears. As she held the babies in her hands and curled her upper body. It's that dream.

"I saw it"

"You saw, where. You think I'll believe ? Such a fake story"

"If your story is true and she did go to the ancestral grave......if the path that no living being is allowed to pass through is this place, then I saw it. I saw the mother crying. I saw her hugging the babies and mourning"

"That's just a bunch of lies !"

I had a mysterious feeling as I heard Saralegui's clearly agitated voice.

"It's not a lie. The ordinary me had a dream with a deep meaning behind it, I wonder if it was the influence of some movie, even though I don't watch anything other than touching sports. That should settle the matter. But unfortunately this isn't the time for that. Thinking that there was so much drama, this isn't the time to be reasoning with it. I saw it, the mother loved her sons. I saw her crying and saying that she doesn't have anyone other than those children......"

"You're trying to deceive me, it won't be that easy !"

The slender fingers which looked like they couldn't grip anything, hit my chin and lips. I was slammed into the stone wall, my spine shrieked. My adam's apple being squeezed, my breathing stops.

"......Sa, ra......a"

"If she loved me"

Even though there is no reason, I heard a scream that would turn into a cry anytime.

"Then why did she not give that power to me !?"

"Th......"

At that moment I took action that couldn't be believed. I repelled my opponent's arm from the inside, just like that I held Saralegui's forearms and fixed both his arms, I grabbed his wrist and with my back twisted them.

I wasn't thinking anything with my head. Although I was only thinking that it was getting hard to breathe, maybe it was a conditioned reflex my body moved on its own, I was fastened up the assailant.

Where in the world was I hiding such physical strength and technique, I didn't know that myself. Maybe the mud had some calories in it. It's trying out things, trying to eat things without making a fuss over it.

"Do you wish to have such power !?"

"Ouch"

The slender body in my arms is struggling in pain. I'm doing a horrible thing, although I think of releasing him, but the anger welling up in me from deep within wouldn't allow me to.

"By amazing you mean manipulating the dead right ? What is there to get jealous about that, the one who is greedy isn't me but you Sara !"

"Yuuri, it hurts"

"Anyone would wish to have power, even.... me......''however the power which was not bestowed on us should not exist in this world''"<ref>Yuuri starts speaking as if he's in his maou mode (uesama mode). I've made all those sentences italic</ref>

"Yuuri"

I wonder what this discomfort I feel under my skin is. It's the same bad feeling I had when I was sharing my "eyes". Even though this is my throat and my mouth, I feel like it belongs to someone else’s body at the same time. The unpleasant feeling that the words I spout out are not my own. I remember this. Even when I met the Shinzoku for the first time, I fell into the same state.

"''All who possess it shall be eliminated''"

Who are you.

"''By means of death......they will be eliminated''"

Who is spouting out such a terrible curse !?

"Is that the real you ?"

Leaving my bewilderment aside, the king of Small Cimarron responded to this dangerous character. Soft hair rubs off my cheek and he lures me over his shoulder.

"I see, so that was it. If that's the case then we are the same, we can get along well"

"I am......different......"

"Hey, let’s get out of this passageway and head to the royal graves. Without being seen by anyone, without anyone knowing about it. There just like mother and Yelshi...... or we can even get a greater power. There is something definitely there that even the spirits of the ancestors couldn't get their hands on, some mysterious power is hidden there"

I heard the invitation of a snake well.

"Even you might have realized it. There's something in the graves. A treasure that no one in this world could obtain. Isn't it, Yuuri"

"Stop"

Yuuri

"Don't call my name"

"Yuuri !"

However this time it was different than Saralegui's voice. The sound screaming my name came from height above.

When I look back forgetting that I can't see, just below the white that I thought to be the sun, there was a small red spot. It's a torch, I realized that intuitively, that color was fire.

A person came down through the hole open in the ceiling of the dome.

"Yuuri, are you there ?"

"Co......"

There is no need to ask who it is, I can tell by his voice. Even so I asked.

"Conrad ?"

"It's me"

The only thing that falls into my eyes is a human form illuminated by the fire. A vague fuzzy orange outline comes running, it's exactly like a thermograph screen.

"Are you alright ?"

"I'm fine. But how"

"I'm sorry for being late. Although I had Hazel and her comrades guide me through the desert, we missed out a lot of points where we could overtake. Do you have any injuries anywhere ?"

The body temperature I'm used to touches my shoulders as if consoling me.

This is his right palm. The right arm that has nothing to do with the nightmarish scene. It's warmer than his left hand.

"Yuuri"

When I try to reply I mutter a word starting with C inside my mouth, I'm on the verge of tears. If I was an elementary school student I would have cried without holding back. Although I wanted to say don't call me your majesty as usual, at such a time he did not make that mistake.

"I'm not...injured"

"I'm glad, I'll take to on top immediately. By the way"

The end of the word becomes small and I mumble. Speaking of which, there was so much disturbance that he wouldn't have noticed even if I spoke facing him. In the short period of silence he guessed what was happening, in an instant he changed the words following it into a question.

"What did he do"

He must be asking about Saralegui. Of all things if he sees me, a pacifist doing such twisted thing, he would get suspicious. I thrust away the body with slender physique.

"Take this guy, take Saralegui to the ground first"

"Your majesty, I......"

"No, I'm not saying it out of friendship. We can't have him run away so I'm requesting you. I cannot set this man free. Restrain this guy and put him under surveillance and then come down here once again. Is that fine ? Conrad"

"Of course"

Along with a small scream there wind blew in a near the ground, looks like the hands that are used to doing rough things more than me got the nape of his neck, Saralegui is flapping both his legs.

"I won't go, I won't go ! I will go to the underground, being covered by sand in the desert is too bothersome"

"Behave yourself if you don't want to be dropped"

"That's right, I don't mind if you accompany us Lord Weller, we will take you along on our journey. If we do that even Yuuri won't be lonely. Isn't that right ?"

I am the one who replied to Saralegui's nonsense, it was supposed to be me.

"Unfortunately, '''your majesty''' Saralegui, I won't listen to '''your''' advice. And"

For the first time in these five days I let out a sigh of relief, I could finally relax my body.

"I won't accept even a single drop of water from you"

When I leaned on the wall and let my chin down, I was attacked by a pain just like giddiness. I feel like I don't want to move even a single finger.

"Conrad, come back as quick as possible, there's something......something I need to talk about"

"Yes"

"Return really quickly"

Being bound by a trained professional, he forced his way through even though it wouldn't work. He was a little excited.

"What are you going to talk about, is it a secret ? What sort of private conversation ? Ah, could it be that"

He let out a hysterical laugh.

"That you let that man die ?"

{| border="1" cellpadding="5" cellspacing="0" style="margin: 1em 1em 1em 0; background: #f9f9f9; border: 1px #aaaaaa solid; padding: 0.2em; border-collapse: collapse;"
| Back to [[MaruMA:Volume13:Chapter_2|Chapter 2]]
| Return to [[MA_Series|MA Series]]
| Forward to [[MaruMA:Volume13:Chapter_4|Chapter 4]]
|-
|}
==References==
<references/>

MaruMA:Volume13:Short Story

2015-12-29T15:54:33Z

Alaxxis Sade:

By the time I think ‘Uh-oh’, it’s already too late.

A salaryman desperately rushing down the stairs with an expression of panic collides straight in Murata and me. Just like that the two of us lose our balance, and tumble down the stairs from a height of twenty-five steps.

My name is Shibuya Yuuri. I never got off the train at Harajuku.

Today I was supposed to meet my friend at the turnstiles of a nearby train station in our district.

The time is 13 February, Saturday, 5.17pm.

I’m usually punctual, but this is a rare occasion where I’m two minutes late, hurriedly racing up the stairs, slippery from the snow yesterday, two steps at a time.

Murata Ken, who was in the same class at me during our second and third years of junior high, is wearing a super cute camel-colored double-breasted coat, together with a black scarf. Perhaps he realized I’m not at the turnstiles, so he is climbing down the stairs to look for me.

I remember he just finished his mock exams. He’s carrying his bag on his left shoulder, hurrying on his way unsteadily with one arm swinging.

“STOP, Murata! Careful, your eyes will fog up!”

“Nope, you got it wrong, Shibuya. It’s the other way around, the other way, it only fogs up when I go from somewhere cold to somewhere warm, or when I’m eating ramen…”

His foot lands on the platform in the middle of the stairs just as he says that.

I grab the handrail and bend down, desperately trying to suck the icy cold air into my lungs.

“Yo… Sorry, I’m late…”

“You’re not late.”

“But you know, I was the one who wanted you to follow me to the bookstore! In that case I should have been here fifteen minutes earlier, waiting for you at the place we agreed on, right?”

“What are you talking about?”

Murata’s gaze looks surprised beyond his glasses, and he pats me twice on the back, my aviator’s jacket making a dry sound.

“When you take me to a baseball game, you never say such considerate things!”

“That’s because you really enjoyed watching the ballgame too, right?”

In contrast, no matter how you look at it, calling a friend to help me choose reference books is nobody’s idea of a good time.

We decide to find a place to get warm first, then only scour all the bookshops around the station.

…This is all thanks to those embarrassing results from the term test.

The person who got such unsightly scores, is naturally yours truly. Those were the most unbearable scores I’ve gotten since I went to high school, plus the year-end exams are just around the corner, the results of which will decide whether or not I will have to experience the first year of high school all over again.

In other words, I may have to—r-r-r-repeat a grade!?

Brrr, just saying those words is scary.

But I do have my reasons. After all, in the past year, I was in an environment that didn’t allow me to focus on my studies. Not only was I sent to an alternate world through an unbelievable manner, I even suddenly became Demon King. The place I journeyed to had many conflicts and battles waiting for me, and I was even forced to face off with the leaders of large countries without any prior mental preparation.

As a high school student whose head is filled with nothing but baseball, I had to bear the brunt of diplomatic problems.

And there are a ton of problems in the country itself, so an underage brat who can’t even vote like me, had to figure out how to dissuade those people who wanted to resort to violence.

Anyway, the baseball boy of only sixteen years old, has been living such a cruel life for the past year.

Where will I find the time to study!

“About that~~ I know exactly what your situation is, maybe that’s why your results fell.”

When I told him of the crisis I was facing, that was how Murata answered me from the other side of the phone. Still, he was swept into the affairs of the other world as a major player too, and his results haven’t been affected in the slightest.

“But you haven’t told your parents, right?”

“How do I tell them? Do you want me to say, “Mom, Dad, thank you for caring for me all these years, I’m an impressive king now”? How do you expect me to say that!?”

“In that case, you won’t be able to get their pity.”

“Nothing I can do about that—But compared to my parents, the biggest problem is my brother!”

Maybe it’s the Shibuya family’s educational way, but my parents never had much of an opinion when it came to their kids’ results at school. My brother is the completely opposite of my parents, though, and always loved to pick on his little brother’s results since elementary school.

He will check my exam papers or report cards before Mom does, and then start nagging about how I got a few marks less than last time, or how I didn’t reach the average score for the year, finally coming up with comments that defy science like ‘You are a low grade clone of me’. In other words he will just keep scolding his little brother for my bad results.

And now if I really have to repeat a grade, who knows what gaze that guy will look at me with.

“…My brother will definitely kill me.”

“No way!”

“Even if he doesn’t kill me, he will call me the shame or the black mark of the Shibuya family, and trample my dignity into the ground. He even thinks I’m an obstacle to his making it big in life, so he might even exile me to a faraway island.”

“Exile to a faraway island--?”

“For all you know I may even start writing songs on that island, and those songs will be made into an album that is widely talked about after I die.”

“That’s pretty good, too!”

“That’s not good at all! If that happens I’ll be under house arrest on a deserted island, and will never get to watch a ballgame again, y’know!? If that happens I won’t be able to see the development of Ito’s long term management(1), and when he completely conquers the game and is raised into the air in celebration, I won’t be able to cry with him, will I!? It’s okay even if I wasn’t first in the preliminaries, as long as the team can choose me… Forget it… This is a dream that won’t come true even if I don’t repeat a grade… Anyway, if my brother finds out I repeated a grade, it’s very likely that I will never see you again.”

“So I’m actually that far behind? Whatever, which part do you want me to help you with? I think freshmen mathematics only gets hard in the second semester.”

“…Please help me study everything since spring when we started school.”

There is a few seconds of silence on the other end of the phone, until Murata yells, “Didn’t you realize your problem way too late--!”

Just like that, before I can handle my own brother, I first obtained my friend’s sympathy. It’s late in the ninth inning with two outs, so in order to turn the tables and bat a safe, I have no choice but to ask for help.

I’m not hoping for a home run, just a hit on the line. Even a touch or a foul from the other side is okay. In other words as long as I can avoid the nightmare of repeating a grade, I’m happy.

So I asked Murata, who had to go for a mock exam at his cram school on Saturday, to follow me to get reference books. We were supposed to meet at 5.15pm, because large bookstores tend to be around train stations, so I thought it would be more efficient to meet outside the turnstiles.

That’s right, we were supposed to meet at the turnstiles, not the stairs.

“Do you want to go eat something first? You’ve been using your brain all day, surely you’re exhausted?”

“Mn—Not really. It’s just that tonight my dad’s coming back from Hong Kong, I haven’t seen him for three months…”

A second after I heard that, that man rushing down the stairs collides into Murata and me.

That man is wearing a very common camel-colored coat over his suit, not even bothering to button up. He has a briefcase underneath one arm, his other hand pushing his glasses back up his nose. Maybe he’s in a hurry, because he’s looking at his watch as he runs. That’s why he never noticed the two high school students in front of him, and crashes right into us.

By the time I think ‘Uh-oh’, it’s already too late.

My sole falls past the line on the end of the step that’s supposed to prevent slipping, and both my feet float in mid-air. Murata’s body weight plus the momentum land squarely on my body, and my fingers instantly leave the silver railing, though I still had three fingers trying desperately to hold on.

“…gonna…”

I want to yell “we’re gonna fall”, but I can’t breathe through the anxiety, so I can’t make a sound either.

An intense pain comes from my back. The pain continues traveling to my shoulders, my upper arms and waist, only reaching my calves after a while. Just like that, Murata and I tumble down the stairs together.

…Hey …Hey …Wake up…

My consciousness blurry, I dazedly think.

This is ‘that’, that ‘Hey~ I poke’ game my mom loves to play so much. If you turn around when someone yells ‘Hey~’, your face will be poked by that person’s index finger. How annoying~~! It’s all Yuu-chan’s fault for having such a cute round face, Mommy just loves to pinch it! But your little heart must feel dissatisfied, huh? Eh? This shouldn’t be called “Hey~ I poke”, it should be “Hey~ Yuu-chan”, right? I’ll use that when I think up another game, then.

“Hey~ You two, are you okay?”

If I turn my head just like that, I’ll just make my childish mother even happier. So I decide to feint sleep, until they lose their patience.

Maybe it’s because she’s given up, because the young woman’s voice sounds worried,

“It’s not working, I can’t seem to wake him. Could someone call one of the station’s workers here?”

“Wouldn’t it be faster to call the ambulance?”

Ambulance!?

I think, “You don’t have to go that far, right? If you really call an ambulance, I’ll have to repeat the grade for sure!” Although I want to get up immediately, I can’t. Because my back and waist both hurt like anything.

“Ah, it’s too hard to get up immediately. After all, you two fell down the stairs.”

“…Sta…irs?”

My consciousness finally returns to reality. That’s right, a careless salaryman crashed straight into Murata and me, so the two of us fell down the stairs of the train station together.

“Oh, right, Murata.”

I don’t know which joint in my body got dislocated, because my vision is all blurry. Eventually the two friendly ladies help me up, and I finally get onto my feet.

“Your friend’s still out cold. But he’s still breathing, and his heart is beating too, so he should be okay.”

“Urk—Thank you for your kindness… Ouch…”

“Ah, sorry, does it hurt here?”

An unknown fragrance wafts over, and I actually get butterflies in my stomach.

Hold on a sec, right now I should make sure Murata is okay first, right? But I still can’t see properly, so I start desperately massaging my eyes, what on earth is happening? Could I have knocked my head? My eyes are obviously open, so why is my vision so blurry that I can’t even see my surroundings properly?

“Ah, you’re looking for your glasses, right? They’re right here! Don’t you move for now, I’ll put them on for you.”

Outside of the optometrist’s, I never had a woman help me put on glasses before. No, wait! My vision in both eyes is 2.0, this should be my first time ever, right?

“Sorry for the trouble, I really don’t know how to thank you… Waa, it’s me! Am I okay!?”

After some adjusting, my blurry vision turns abruptly clear, and the first thing I see in front of me is my body—lying on the floor, even, while the other young lady in a mini skirt has my head on her lap, making me a little jealous.

I walk up to myself, shaking myself with a trembling hand,

“Why does it seem like my condition is worse! Hey, am I okay? Did I knock somewhere!? The hand I’m used to isn’t broken, is it? Right, uh—Where’s Murata…”

Mn?

Wait, calm down, Shibuya Yuuri.

The one lying on the floor, is definitely me. That’s the Shibuya Yuuri I’ve been used to seeing in the mirror for sixteen years. It’s just that I’m used to practicing my batting in the mirror, so I only remember how I look like in my uniform.

Then, right now who is the person desperately shaking the unconscious Shibuya Yuuri? I clasp my hands tightly together and then pull them apart, this body is moving according to my instructions.

“…Strange?”

That’s strange--?

Just then, beside me I start groaning softly, blinking a few times and then opening my eyes.

“…Why…”

Just as I’m at a loss about how to address myself, Shibuya Yuuri’s mouth asks,

“Why am I… staring at myself… now?”

“I”? Who is the “I” my mouth is talking about!?

“Could it be Murata!?”

Of course it could be, it is Murata.

“…U-unbelievable. How did things get to this?”

Sitting in McDonalds with a bunch of heart-shaped decoration flying everywhere, I sigh for the fiftieth time. There’s a cooling paper cup of coffee on the table, and Murata Ken is sitting on the opposite of me.

I should say, Murata Ken with the appearance of Shibuya Yuuri.

“This is amazing, I can see everything so clearly. Who knew that I could see so clearly without glasses or contacts—Waa~~ This feels so fresh.”

“Now isn’t the time to be awed—“

The person with my body and Murata’s soul is looking around happily. I see, I didn’t think I could have that kind of expression.

“And this body feels so light, too.”

“Well, my butt and waist hurt like hell, as though I hit the same place a ton of times.”

“I’m guessing it must be because your reflexes and fitness levels are better, so you instinctively protected yourself. While I just fell all the way down, so I bet your body must be covered in bruises now! Later I’ll tell you where I keep my health card, tomorrow we’ll go to the hospital together…”

“Don’t…”

I splay myself over the table with the wooden pattern, the warm camel-colored coat sticking to my face.

“Don’t say it so calmly, would you--! And you’re using my face, my voice, saying ‘I, me, my’, it’s so weird to listen to! It feels like I suddenly became a sissy, it feels horrible! And that’s obviously my voice, my voice! It’s obviously me--!”

“Calm down, Shibuya. You acting like this will make people assume we’re some con group, you know!”

I raise my head hastily to see how others are looking at us, but all I see is a bunch of fog and nothing else.

“Damn—Why do these glasses fog over so quickly!”

“Oh dear, don’t get so agitated.”

Murata raises my hand to lightly tap my… I mean, Murata’s arm. What a mess. This is such a mess.

“I say, Murata, how can I not be agitated? Do you know what’s happened to us? Our souls switched! Inside my body is Murata Ken, and even though your body is speaking with your voice, the person that’s actually talking is me!?”

“All right, all right, of course I know that. It was probably the impact of our fall down the stairs that caused our souls to switch. This sort of thing is completely common.”

“Completely common? Ah!”

Through the lenses that have finally cleared up, I realize that everyone is looking at us strangely. I hurriedly lower my voice, putting one hand beside my mouth as I say,

“How can you still be so calm? Something as unscientific and unrealistic as this, how can this be common?”

“But it is really common! I remember it was in Doraemon, something about swapping mandarins and dried fish. Obayashi Nobuhiko(1) switched before too, right? But that time they switched genders too, now that was a mess—”

Murata thinks his cold joke about “mandarins and dried fish” is not bad, so he starts laughing with Shibuya Yuuri’s face. That’s another new discovery, so that’s how I look when I laugh.

“Doraemon switched using his tools, so that can be explained with science, right?”

It can, right? Probably, I believe it definitely can.

“But we have no evidence or foreshadowing, we just switched after we fell down the stairs, right? And the most important thing is, what do we do next? If we tell anyone else that I look like Murata Ken but my true identity is Shibuya Yuuri, do you think the people around us will believe that?”

“Mn, probably not. Ah~~ Shibuya, the so-called body switching tends to be a short-term thing. No matter how long the time, we’ll just have to hang in there for a few weeks and we’ll probably switch back…”

“But what if we don’t switch back!?”

I hold my head in frustration. The feeling in my fingertips tells me that Murata’s hair is naturally curly.

“If the situation doesn’t change… Oh, yeah, the exams are right around the corner! That’s crucial to whether or not I can move on to the next grade! And you have exams too, right… Mn, wait a sec! In that case Murata will be taking the exam in my place… That way I should be able to avoid the danger of repeating a grade… Ah~~ No way no way! That’s just like having someone take the exam for me, just like cheating it’s not allowed! The person taking the exam is me, but not the real me!”

“Shibuya’s personality is as straightforward as ever.”

Murata drinks the cold coffee. There’s a lot of milk added into the paper cup, so instead of black, it looks more like milk-coffee color.

“And if I go to your school for exams, the results will definitely be tragic. After all you study at a celebrity school, just taking any exam simply will get you into Tokyo University… It’s over, it’s really all over. I will definitely fail, and leave an eternal single digit result on your report card… Not just that, if I cause the genius Murata Ken to repeat a grade, how will I face your parents!”

“My results for the first two semesters are not bad, so one failure won’t make me repeat a grade. And I told you so many times already, in-school exams have nothing to do with university entrance exams. Even if I can’t make it to the second year, I might as well pretend that I re-took a year, right? Relax, don’t think so much. Once we get back to normal, I’ll definitely be able to catch up. And even if I get expelled, I can still go for the university entrances exams, no problem!”

“Murata…”

As we talk, I can’t help but grip Shibuya Yuuri’s hand tightly. I discover yet something else—a baseball boy’s fingers aren’t at all nice to touch.

“You are such a good person~”

“Thank you for the praise.”

“By the way, Murata do you bat and throw with your right hand?”

“I think my body isn’t that good for playing baseball—”

Anyway there’s no point in overthinking this. Now all we can do is try our best to transform into each other, then calmly see what happens. When I forcefully come to that conclusion, a sense of weariness suddenly sweeps over me. Come to think of it, Murata’s body just went through the torture of a mock exam. Compared to Shibuya Yuuri, who spent the entire cold winter day sweating buckets, the tiredness of using his brain must be one step higher.

I’m still wearing the double-breasted coat that shouldn’t fit me as I lean my entire body on the chair.

“Mrgh—So tired, why am I so tired.”

“About that, although it’s no wonder, after all you did go through some trauma.”

“Mn… Ah—After I relaxed, the biological needs start showing up. I’m going to take a wee.”

“Ah, I want to go too.”

After throwing away the paper coffee cup and papers, I carry my bag and push open the toilet door. To deal with the current situation, we need to exchange information about each other’s families. At least tonight, if a little worse then tomorrow night, in the worst case scenario we may even have to live in each other’s shoes for weeks.

I am Murata, Murata is me… Ahh~~ This won’t work, I keep feeling as though I heard this line somewhere before.

“Speaking of which, Shibuya, what’s your dog called? Flanders?”

“Do you think my house is ‘Dog of Flanders’(3)? Sigh—But winter sure is annoying, if the weather is too cold, it’s so troublesome just leaving the house…”

As we’re standing side by side in front of the urinal covered in yellow beads, and finally manage to pull our zips down with the hands we warmed at the heater… I suddenly realize something.

“Ah!”

“W-what happened!? Why d’you suddenly make such a weird sound, Shibuya! If I don’t hold on properly I can’t aim well!”

“Wait a sec, Murata, I’m standing here because I want to pee, s-so I must use this hand to hold your… in other words, Murata Ken’s excretory organ? And this isn’t something immediate either, as I’m peeing, I have to keep~ on holding someone else’s bird. Waa~~ What to do, I don’t want to hold it! I’d rather be beaten to death!”

I stare beside me and sigh again. Because Murata has started peeing.

“Waa, you’re holding my… Yaa! Don’t look! Don’t keep looking down and comparing sizes!”

“Why the heck are you saying such childish things? Everyone has to go to the toilet, right? Keeping it in for too long is bad for the body, at a time like this, we don’t have a choice, right?”

“But won’t you at least refuse a bit? T-that’s mine! Uwoo, oh god—don’t swing it!”

“On the other hand you shouldn’t copy me and sway your body, got it?”

Compared to my friend who solved the pressing issue instantly, I just can’t bring myself to do it. The problem is as my need to pee gets more intense, my brain gets even more confused.

“Mrgh, Murata’s holding my…”

“You’re making too much of a fuss over nothing, isn’t this hand yours too? Alright, if you want to pee just get it over with now. Don’t bother too much over whose bird this is! Otherwise just pretend you’re practicing how to take care of patients, won’t that work? Pretend you’re helping an old man go to the toilet. Just keep calm and grab it, then you won’t feel like it’s anything.”

“…I don’t want to keep calm and do something like this.”

“Well, what else do you want, do you want me to help you--? You wouldn’t want that either, right?”

Murata scratches his head impatiently, pointing at the white door,

“Go inside the cubicle to pee!”

“What--!? You want me to pee sitting down!?”

Even if we’re like lovers in front of a hotel, saying things like “I’m a little worried, why don’t you stay” or “I don’t want to go home tonight” to try to hold each other back, Murata Ken still can’t spend the night in the Shibuya household. In other words, the fusion of Murata’s body and my soul has no choice to return to my (Murata’s) house.

“I remember that the father who hasn’t been home for three months is coming back tonight. It’s just that he’s flying off to goodness knows where again tomorrow.”

Apparently Murata’s father, who does something IT-related in Hong Kong, and his lawyer mother who stays in a short-term apartment in Tokyo, spending every night in the firm, both only come home once in a blue moon. The way things are, he has no choice but to go home tonight. To the father, he can finally return to his own warm home, so he must really miss his beloved only son.

But that also means he’s usually a high school student who stays on his own. To me, who has an older brother sticking his nose into everything at home, I really can’t imagine what kind of life he leads. Your family environment is 180 degrees different from mine.

I stand at the door to the tall building, exhaling white breaths.

Although I’ve remembered all the basic bits of knowledge beforehand, if anything unexpected happens, I’ll still be unsettled. Still, I have no choice but to face two adults I meet for the first time and pretend to be a family.

At first I wanted to call Murata (who looks like Shibuya Yuuri on the outside) to follow me back, but today is one of those rare days where the whole family can get together, it’d be too awkward for a stranger to stick himself in the middle. And anyway, if the father he hasn’t seen for three months treats me like a real son in front of him, it would probably hurt Murata’s heart, right? No, well, the body is his son, that’s for sure. Since his father doesn’t know the truth, that’s only normal… But psychologically speaking, even I would feel very lonely.

“…I’m back—”

I finally manage to open the automatic lock, and get ready to pull open the door that Murata told me is the right number, but the door is locked. Well, that’s unsurprising, since it’s not been very safe lately. I look at the lamplight coming out of the windows, thinking that his parents should both be back by now, so I push the intercom and wait for someone to open the door, my heart a little… No, considerably nervous.

“A random ‘Good evening’ would be really weird, but ‘How are you’ is really funny instead.”

…It’s been a long time, and no one has opened the door for me yet.

I press again, and wait for a long time more, but there still isn’t any response.

So I throw it all to the winds and press ten times in quick succession. Finally someone opens the lock from inside, but I feel like immediately escaping the scene instead. It feels like I’m one of those criminals who rings and runs.

“What are you doing!”

The woman who pokes her head out isn’t asking a question. I’ve started out on the wrong foot, and swallow back the greeting that almost escapes my mouth.

“Ah, the door…”

“Don’t you have the key?”

There is indeed a bunch of keys in the coat pocket.

I think to myself, “Could all other families be like this?” as I take off my shoes at the foyer, completely missing the chance to say “I’m back”.

The woman who went in just now and looks a lot like Murata’s mother, just as I expected, was wearing glasses. Her short neat hair is dyed brown, and she wears makeup even at home, looking at first glance like Takashima Reiko(4) ten years later. She’s the complete opposite of my mother, the perfect image of a professional woman. If I had to face her in work, she would seem to be a troublesome opponent, and she doesn’t seem to care overly much for her son either. Just thinking that this is just right for me to deal with, I quietly heave a sigh of relief.

I take off the coat in the high school student’s room on the left of the foyer, spending a bit of time at the sink washing my hands. When I raise my head, the mirror reflects my(5) face.

Murata Ken.

Alright, Murata. It’s time to make a decision! No, I should be the one making a decision. After this I’ll have to have a touching reunion with the father who was away for three months.

So I prepare myself mentally and walk into the living room, only to see an uncle in a white shirt sitting on the sofa. He’s all focused on reading the newspaper, so all I see is the back of a head with thinning hair. That uncle… No, how can I call him ‘that’, this salaryman is obviously Murata’s father.

“Um…”

“Ah.”

His father raises his face from the papers by about 3 cm, looking at what should be his most beloved only son, but only for a moment, turning his gaze back to the paper in no time. Maybe it’s because he’s a multinational employee, so he must always pay attention to what’s happening in society; or maybe he hasn’t been in Japan for too long, so he’s desperate to catch up on domestic news.

If I have to use one line to describe what characteristics I caught in that short time, I would say he’s a lot like Sada Masashi(6) 30% fatter.

So if Sada Masashi and Takashima Reiko got married, their kid would have Murata Ken’s brains and looks…

“Uh—”

Now there’s a huge problem.

I don’t know how to address the father I haven’t soon for so long.

Taking Murata’s personality into account, ‘Mom’ and ‘Pops’ don’t seem too proper. In that case, it’s either just ‘Dad’, ‘Papa’ or ‘Father’, right? Or like a high school freshman calling ‘Daddy’… It may be ‘Daddy’, for all I know it could really be ‘Daddy’—

So I make a decision, and slowly approach Sada Masashi.

“Ah—Uh—That… It’s been a while.”

What am I saying?

“Hm? Yeah, it’s been a while.”

The problem is his voice doesn’t sound like folk songs, and instead is a very powerful bass. I can’t help but be pressed down by the that minister-level pressure, and even say weird things,

“T-thank you for your three months of hard work.”

Hey hey hey, I’m not acting out ‘the Crime Boss’ Wife’(7)!

Father raises the head he had buried in the newspapers, looking at his own son in all seriousness. Those goody-goody guy eyes are wide behind his retro-looking glasses. Perfect~ now’s the time! I can’t miss this chance, to talk to him properly! The most important thing is to take the initiative. I sit on the bright yellow sofa, trying to find a way to talk to him even if I don’t know him well.

“How’s Hong Kong? Is Hong Kong yamcha nice? Did you see Jackie Chan?”

“Same as always.”

Impossible~ Don’t say ‘same as always’! Since you went for three months, tell me about what you saw…”

“Ken!”

Although someone yells my name impatiently, for a moment I don’t notice who that person is calling. But still I immediately remember my character, turning around to look at the owner of the voice—only to see Murata’s mother with files all over the dining table, tapping the table with a pen cover,

“If you have to talk, would you please go somewhere else? I can’t concentrate like this.”

“Eh? Ah, sorry.”

“Your mother brought her work home again.”

Father whispers to a confused-looking me. Looks like professional woman these days all believe in bringing their work home to finish.

“If there’s nothing else, go back to your room and study?”

“Eh? But dinner…”

“You haven’t eaten yet!?”

I got shocked by them as well. What the heck, since your family always eats out, why didn’t you tell me earlier? I thought their whole family was looking forward to this reunion after three months, and would definitely eat around the table together! I even thought of saying that although there isn’t the smell of anything cooking, maybe they were going to call for sushi delivery or something.

“Geez, don’t you usually eat before coming home? Or you would buy something on the way back… Now you tell me suddenly you want to have dinner, I’ll tell you I didn’t cook a thing, you know!”

“Ah! It’s okay, it’s okay, it’s okay! I’ll just buy something from the convenience store! Is there anything you want me to get on the way?”

I was too naïve, to think I wanted to eat the food Takashima Reiko made.

I put on the camel-colored coat I just took off, running to the corridor outside the door. After dashing into the lift, I finally heave a sigh of relief. His family is harder to deal with than I thought, if this goes on for a few weeks, I might lose my mind to the mental wear-out.

After making sure that the keys and wallet are all in my pocket, I walk past the utterly silent entrance. Since I forgot to put on a scarf, my face and neck are in direct contact with the cold February air. I remember that if I turn the corner 200m ahead, there seems to be the light from a convenience store.

Just then I realize there’s someone walking over here, so I lower my head. If that person stays in the same building, the least I could do is say hi. If I gave Murata a bad name in the time I’m using his body, that’d be bad. I look forward slightly, and realize that she’s a girl about my age. She’s wearing a coat over her uniform and a scarf around her neck, but no socks underneath her checkered skirt. I feel cold just looking at her, and can’t help but shrink my shoulders when I brush past her.

“Murata-kun.”

What!?

Yet again someone calls me out of nowhere. I make some unintelligible noise and stop my footsteps, pointing at my chin using my finger and confirming with her,

“Are you calling me?”

“That’s right, who else would I be calling?”

She’s holding her bag with both hands, standing in front of me. Her face is red in the icy wind, her shoulder-length hair blowing lightly in the wind as well. She’s one of those you see in every class, the girl that looks like a class representative. She has a pair of large eyes, unwilling to admit defeat.

“Weren’t you supposed to spend the day with me?”

“Eh?”

Now that it’s come to this, I can’t just ask her, “May I know who you are?”

“You should be hanging out with me, but why did you go back first? And you only used a simple text message to reject me, is my existence that meaningless to Murata-kun?”

“H-hold on a sec!”

Class Rep (for now) puts her hand into the bag and pulls out a box. From the cute packaging unique to the season, I can obviously tell those are February 14 chocolates.

“Since I can’t meet you tomorrow, I thought of giving this to you after school today. And I had the present all prepared and ready, too!”

“Hold on a sec!”

Hold on a—sec!

Class Rep (for now), give me some time to think. Although Valentine’s Day is tomorrow, but because you can’t see Murata tomorrow, so you planned on giving him chocolates today, right? You agreed to meet after school, and prepared the chocolates, right? Just for this confession.

But who do you want to confess to? Who are the chocolates for?

“Murata-kun!”

“A-are you calling me!?”

“Of course I’m calling you, don’t act dumb, will you?”

Why do accidents always fall unnoticed? I thought I just avoided complicated parent-child relations, but the next thing I face is actually a Valentine Eve’s confession? Speaking of which, such a cute girl wants to confess to you, so why the heck did you bail out on her!?

Right here and right now, what kind of an attitude am I supposed to face her with!?

“Give me an answer.”

“Uh… Even if you want me to, I can’t give you an answer.”

I think an excuse like “I’m not actually Murata Ken” won’t work, and even if I’ve been pretending to be Murata from start to finish, I can’t simply give a reply. After all, what men like in the opposite sex can be as different as heaven and earth, so even if she fits my standards, she may not be the type Murata likes. No matter how good they look, girls who are too hot-tempered will get three strikes and they’re out… No no no, since she looks so cute, I could pretend not to notice her personality.

Class Rep (for now) frowns anxiously, holding the chocolate box tightly.

“Murata-kun!”

“Sorry, I can’t simply say something irresponsible… Ah!”

I’m fast losing track of what she’s asking me, when I hear the tune from Thunderbirds, and something in the pocket in front of my chest starts vibrating.

“Excuse me, let me answer this call.”

From the cellphone warmed with body heat comes the voice of the friend I just parted with,

“Shibuya?”

“Murata!? Ah, that’s not right, I’m Murata.”

I react happily like a child and hurriedly lower my voice. After all the girl beside me doesn’t know that we swapped bodies.

“Ah—perfect, come out quick. It’s really cold here, I’m in a public phone booth. I thought of something really important, but I can’t call you at home—the atmosphere in your house is really very warm, but your brother is nagging drunk in front of the telephone. He won’t even let me use the other phone—”

The big brother of the Shibuya household is actively looking for a partner, participating in group dates non-stop this month.

“Ignore him.”

“But he’s still making a fuss, asking me to call him Onii-chan.”

“Don’t listen to him, that guy has played too many eroge.”

“He says that if I don’t call him that, he won’t give me the sports papers he bought at the station.”

“Then just call him once! Now’s not the time for all this, all this isn’t important. Mu… No, AMIGO, you’re in the middle of something really important now!”

“What is it, AMIGO?”

You don’t have to copy the way I address you.

“After hearing this you sure will be in for a shock! But don’t be surprised yet, calmly hear me out—There’s a girl confessing to you!”

I try my best to lower my voice, but my friend doesn’t think much of my panic at all, instead laughing on the other end,

“I know, it’s Kamei, right? She’s angry, isn’t she?”

“Kamei?”

“That’s right, she’s called Kamei something… Ah~~ Yeah, Shizuka.”

“Isn’t that a politician(8)?”

“What a bother~ Who would have thought she would catch me at my door? She’s as unwilling to lose as ever, I did text her.”

“You idiot!”

I cover my mouth with my right hand, crouching down with my back to Kamei Shizuka.

“Although her personality seems really tough to handle, but she looks super cute! Don’t reject her with a text, why don’t you try dating her for a couple months? Isn’t there a saying, ‘Try to bat, try to catch’?”

“Nobody actually says that normally, right? But she doesn’t only look cute, she’s pretty smart too. On that note, we were in the same class as her in the second year of middle school, y’know, Shibuya. It’s just that you don’t remember a thing, outside of baseball.”

“Really? I know her!?”

I look at the girl with her arms in front of her chest and an impatient expression on her face. Just as Murata said, I have no impression of her at all, but she does look very smart.

“…I really have no impression… Could it be that I sensed the danger, and naturally skipped over her?”

“Probably. Kamei hopes to decide who’s the winner between us once and for all with these mock exams.”

“Deciding it once and for all with the mock exams? But the real battlefield is the university entrance exam, right? Then what’s the point deciding the winner before that?”

“I don’t know, either—Anyway she’s not here to confess, but to issue a challenge! It’s just that the dates and schedules never sync up, she wanted to use the results at the cram school mocks today as the decider, it’s just that I only took three subjects before leaving.”

You shouldn’t leave just like that either!

Since he told me to pass the phone to her, I nervously hand the phone over to Kamei.

“I can answer the call if you want, but who’s on the other side?”

“Mura… Shibuya.”

“When you say Shibuya, do you mean that idiot Shibuya Yuuri whose head has nothing but baseball?”

In the cold winter night, I finally understand what kind of a person I am in a girl’s eyes. It really chills me to the bone.

Kamei Shizuka accepts the metallic blue cellphone, her expression full of surprise as she speaks. Her initially straight eyebrows start twisting unhappily, and I can’t help but stand at a side with my heart in my throat.

“…What is the meaning of this?”

What on earth did Murata say to her!?

Kamei’s tone gets angrier and angrier as she talks, until she finally says something instigating, and shoves the phone back at me. She uses so much force it’s like she wants to throw the phone onto the ground, it isn’t easy for me to catch it properly.

“I can’t believe it! The two of you actually became like that!?”

“B-became like what?”

Right now we’ve switched bodies, so the situation is indeed dire.

With Nobita’s feelings, I watch Shizuka leave with Gian’s footsteps before hurriedly asking my friend on the other end of the phone,

“What on earth did you say!?”

“Nothing much, just the truth. I said that Shibuya… In others words, I, am facing a crisis in the semester-end exams, so I had no choice but to ask Murata for help in a panic. And whether or not my friend can move on to the next year is naturally more important than Kamei, so it can’t be helped that she was rejected.”

“That’s all you said?”

“Mn, I also said, what placing Kamei got in the mocks has nothing to do with me, but if I have to repeat a year, Murata will feel as though he’s responsible for it too. And since I’m him important friend, Murata has a responsibility to help me become a great king.”

“You actually said such weird things, with my mouth…”

His nonchalant tone coming over across the electronic waves, sounds like it’s laughing at my helplessness.

“It doesn’t matter, right--? After all we don’t plan on going out with her, who cares what she thinks—”

“That’s not the problem…”

She misunderstood, she definitely misunderstood, once the word ‘king’ gets mixed in, no matter how she interprets it, it would definitely become very weird, and there’s no way she understood the real meaning.

“Let’s put that aside for now, Shibuya, didn’t I tell you I remembered something very important? That concerns your life from now on, so I have to tell you right now, it’s not clear over the phone.”

“Okay, I’ll come over to you right now. Where are you right now?”

“Look up—”

Opposite the zebra crossing with no traffic light, there is a telephone post with a lamp on it. Murata, with Shibuya Yuuri’s appearance, is just underneath the lamp, waving at me from inside the disused-looking telephone booth.

“Dinner is French style vegetables stewed meat, you know—”

His expression is just too idiotic, even I feel embarrassed.

If there is information we can search up, to use as future reference, no matter what I really want to know, how many days on average could the people in the past who ‘switched bodies once’ tolerate?

We switched just a few hours ago, but we’ve long reached our limits.

“Who would have thought that even someone like me would start getting restless.”

“I think it’s not bad, it’s pretty comfy in here. Your body is light and soft, feels pretty good, and it’s easy even to climb the stairs. When I bend forward I can actually the fingertips can actually touch the toes, this is a first for me in my life—”

“That’s the result of me working out every day… What on earth do you want to try?”

“A holistic trial, of course! I think a body that’s good with exercise sure is convenient.”

I on the other hand really envy people with a good brain. No matter how, this situation is really very unnatural. Add that to the fact that Murata said he remembered something very important, and I think we should do everything we can to return to normal! Even if we’re not sure whether it is possible to go back, at the very least we should try.

But Murata seems a little reluctant to return to his original body, could he really like my mother’s cooking that much?

In that case, it’s no problem if he comes over to my house for dinner every night.

As for the important thing he talked about, it’s like this.

He puts his frozen fingers into the hunting jacket pocket as he says,

“You have to choose a bride, y’know!”

“Choose a pride--?”

“Not choose a pride, you have to choose a bride. If I remember correctly, you’ve already officially ascended the throne in your country. And over there, it just so happens at the same season a now, there will be a large-scale bride-selection event.”

The shops on the street have already pulled down their metal doors, so the road heading to the station is a lot quieter than usual. By the time it gets to 9pm, all the local shopping streets will be filled with salarymen, exhausted from overtime on the weekends and ready to go home.

“Choosing a bride, huh—In other words, there’s something like Valentine’s there too?”

“Not at all.”

That line interrupts my image of group dating.

“There is more than one woman involved, yes, but you would be alone. In other words, there will be a selection for His Majesty the Maou’s bride from those who proposed and those who haven’t over the past year.”

“The Ma… my bride!?”

“That’s right. But ‘Who is His Majesty the Maou’s Bride!’ was an activity from quite a while ago, so whether or not it’s still held now, I’m not too sure myself…”

“Stop kidding, I should be to decide who I marry, right! Speaking of which, I’m only 16! Legally I can’t even marry yet, right!?”

“Please tell that to your Royal Educator yourself—Tell the person whose title may be like Royal Educator or Acting Minister or Prime Minister or Person-in-Charge etc!”

My mind immediately comes up with an image of Günter with his hands raised up high, talking non-stop, the remnants of snow under his feet looking rather slippery. If it was him, he wouldn’t care how old I am at, he’d just speed things up. Wait a sec, since it’s that Lord von Christ, it wouldn’t be surprising even if he shamelessly wore a pure white wedding dress and mixed in with the candidates.

“…Günter’s… wedding dress…”

“Shibuya, can you not imagine anything too scary?”

It’s because he’s more suited to a wedding dress than other people, that’s why it’s scary.

“Anyway, if you simply decide date a girl in this period of time, it may very likely connect directly to the bride-selection activity. Tomorrow is the long-awaited Valentine’s Day, too, so there may be a truck of girls lining up to confess to you.”

“…What a practical way of making fun of me.”

“What? Did I say something stupid that surpasses even magic? So, if I stay in your body like this, won’t it be me having to face girls confessing? If we haven’t returned to normal after one whole day, I can’t deal with the attacks by phone in the morning either. After all, if I reject them too easily, Shibuya wouldn’t feel right about it. Strictly speaking, since I’m not actually Shibuya Yuuri himself, if I simply agree to the girls, what would you think?”

I think it’s not too late to start worrying when someone does actually go on the attack.

But if we’re still like this tomorrow, I bet even Murata won’t be able to stand it. After all for the past sixteen years, I’ve been living a life without any luck with girls, even the only chocolate I get on Valentine’s coming from my mom.

“And, a nonchalant answer from you=me, might make the other party think they’re the Maou’s bride. Even if we argue that the customs over there are different from Earth, I don’t think those blinded ministers would listen to us… Shibuya, are you listening to me?”

“…Yeah, it’s probably better to return to normal as soon as possible. After so many years and still taking a mother’s chocolate, that psychological pressure is seriously huge. Letting Murata who’s so popular classmates are even coming by to issue challenge letters face something like that, I’ll feel bad.”

“Speaking of being popular, when it comes to Valentine’s, I’ll also receive cards from Hawaii, you know!”

“…Murata, when did you go to Hawaii?”

So nice~~ The other party must be a pretty girl from the island of eternal summer.

“My element was always leaning towards globalization. Alright, Shibuya, now we have to fall down these stairs in one go.”

“What!?”

I look down at the (seemingly) endless train station stairs, so scared I gulp a mouthful of saliva. The place we’re standing isn’t far from the turnstiles. From here down to the faraway ground, looks like about as high as Mount Fuji’s 8th Station(9) to my eyes. It could be that my heart is swaying now that I’m actually there, and so my calculation ability has malfunctioned due to miscellaneous external factors.

“Really, Shibuya, did you forget? Did I tell you before--? As long there’s an impact larger than what we face when we switched, we can easily return to normal.”

“Wait a sec wait a sec, you said a similar impact, right? Not a larger impact, right!? Back tehn we fell down from the platform in the middle of the stairs, and now we’re on top of the stairs! If we fell from here, there’s no way we’ll escape unscathed, there’s a high chance we’ll just kick the bucket!”

“We won’t die, relax! And besides, there are prior cases. Also, Shibuya, don’t keep talking about dying like that.”

“Then you don’t simply tell me to fall down!”

“Relax, relax, we tried it once before. You just have to close your eyes, and everything will be like riding a roller coaster, it’ll be over before you know it.”

“Don’t please don ‘t be rash Murata even if we don’t do that the Earth will still go round—”

Murata seems determined to jump from the top floor no matter what, his hands holding my waist tightly, and taking one step into the air. Maybe it’s the break between trains arriving at the station now, because there are only a handful of passengers who got off the train walking by. It’s just that these rational people are giving the high school students hugging and shouting on the station stairs cold looks.

Maybe they are used to the things young people do these days, or those things end up the topic of casual conversation.

Hold on a sec, what if there’s someone we know here? If there’s a neighbor on the way home here, then by tomorrow we’ll definitely be a hot topic of conversation. Just then the horn in my head starts blaring next door Mrs Ono’s voice—

“Oh, dear, Mrs Shibuya, is your son troubled by something? I heard that he was going to die together in love with his male classmate from middle school at the statin stairs!”

Die together in love… die together in love… die together in love…

What a witness testimonial, as loud as a Dolby surround sound system.

“C-c-c-c-calm down, Murata! The way this is going, it’d highly likely that we’ll be treated as a couple ready to die together in love!”

“Ah, is that so—”

Murata says in a tone that obviously hasn’t thought too much about it, reaching his hand towards his head and touching Shibuya Yuuri’s hair, unruly on the winter, with an action I’m not used to. This is a pretty strange feeling. Although my hand is touching my own hair, it’s using someone else’s habitual movement.

“Even if it was like that, it wouldn’t be good for our reputation—And your brother won’t be able to become governor.”

“…In that short time you were there, what did you hear from him?”

“Nah, just some life plans. He planned for you to join Ishihara Promotion(10), you know!”

Is Shouri planning to make us all a governor family?

“In that case we have to pretend that someone accidentally knocked us down… Ah~~Sorry, could the two of you lend us a moment.”

My friend looks around for a while, and asks two people who look like they just got off from work and are headed home. They even point at their own faces exaggeratedly. The man looks to be a little over twenty, wearing a jacket and a hat that blocks his eyebrows, a bit of bristle I don’t like on his chin. As for the one next to him, holding his arm and leaning her entire body on him, judging from the way her breasts are pressing on his body, that should be his girlfriend. She’s wearing a cute jacket with knitted sleeves, and opening her mouth wide to laugh loudly, looking quite ridiculous. Those bright red fingernails that hurt my eyes are buried deep into his arm.

Her face red and her eyes moist, she stumbles over to us, but her face is still covered with a silly smile as she points at us and yells,

“Look, look—Tango! They’re dancing the tango!”

What dancing the tango? We’re not stuck together like this because we want to dance!”

They should be a little drunk… No, they’re basically dead drunk. They’re this drunk just past nine, by tomorrow they’ll definitely be drunk past human limits.

“Murata, are you sure about getting drunkards to help us?”

“Otherwise, do you think strangers would possibly agree to this?”

You got a point.

I’m at a loss for words and Murata ignores me, giving the man with his hat to his eyebrows the right of action directly.

“Excuse me, could you please knock into us? You just have to knock into us lightly with your body. Uh—If possible try to make it look like an accident no one will suspect.”

“Ah--? Pretend to accidentally knock into you guys--? It sounds a lot like an assassination, hey—What to do, no one asked me to do this before.”

“You’re asking me what to do, I don’t know either! The two of them are dancing the tango—”

Maybe ‘tango’ is particularly funny to her, because the girl has been laughing non-stop from start to finish.

“Just do as he says, then—It’s okay, do as he says, please-- I want to see the tango see the tango see the tan—go! Hey--!”

It sounds slow when I describe it but it was fast then, because that girl uses all the strength in her body to crash into us, while we were standing in place—though her hands were still holding onto her beloved man’s arm.

“Wait a sec! That’s not a knock, that’s an atta… Waa--!”

By the time I realize my body is slanting, Murata and I are already floating in mid-air. And as we’re almost going to hit the ground, I hear something unlucky. It’s not a joke, but some unlucky words.

“I want to dance the tango too--!”

As I think “What are you saying”, it’s already too late.

In the end we didn’t dance the tango as expected, but fall into a bundle instead.

…Hey …Hey …Wake up…

My consciousness blurry, I dazedly think.

This is ‘that’, that ‘Hey~ Nii-chan’ game my big brother loves to play so much. If you turn around when someone yells ‘Hey~’, your face will be poked by that person’s index finger. The little sister with her hair in twin ponytails shakes her head and says happily, “How annoying~~Nii-chan, really, I fell for it~~” But Big Brother you’ve played too many eroges. Also, you have too much imagination when it comes to little sisters.

“Hey~ You two, are you okay?”

If I turn my head just like that, I’ll just make my childish big brother even happier. So I decide to feint sleep, until he loses his patience.

Maybe it’s because he’s given up, because the young man’s voice sounds worried,

“It’s not working—I can’t seem to wake them up—What to do now—”

The young man… No, this isn’t someone else’s voice, it’s my voice. Although the words are pulled out, but that is indeed my voice.

“Nothing we can do about it, I don’t want to bring the cops into this, we might as well scram.”

The cops!?

“Ohh—But what do I do, I look like this—”

“What’s there to do, you’ve basically gotten 7 years younger.”

“Really? Do you prefer the young ones?”

Although I want to get up immediately, I can’t. Because my back and waist both hurt like hell. It’s practically impossible to get up immediately, since I did fall down from the top of the stairs. Oh, right, Murata and I asked a passing couple to knock into us, and then we tumbled down the station stairs, all four of us at once, too.

“Mmrgh… Oh yeah, Mura... What about Murata…”

“Ah, looks like he’s awake.”

He is Shibuya Yuuri.

“What!?”

Why am I looking at myself!? I rub my eyes desperately, terrified that I hit myself somewhere. But my fingertips turn out to be such a fiery red color.

“Waa, what is this!? My fingers are bleeding excessively! Oh god, what now? I pitch and bit with my right hand… But why doesn’t it hurt at all… Ah--!”

No wonder it doesn’t hurt. The reason my fingers are all red, is because there are a girl’s nail polish all over them. But why are my fingers so pretty all of a sudden?

“Hey hey hey—Normally people call that blood--? I used an hour on that masterpiece~~”

The Shibuya Yuuri staring at me, actually starts complaining all upset in a girly voice.

“Who are you? Speaking of which, who am I!?”

An unknown fragrance wafts over from my body, and I actually get butterflies in my stomach. But this time I can see very clearly, meaning I didn’t switch bodies with Murata.

“W-where’s Murata? Ah~~ Perfect, there you are.”

Murata Ken with his glasses all crooked, is standing right next the Shibuya Yuuri who’s crouching down and looking at me. “The two of us” are even stuck together, holding hands tightly.

Hold on, calm down, Shibuya Yuuri.

The person who seems very close to my friend, leaning tightly on him, is definitely me. That’s the Shibuya Yuuri I’ve been used to seeing in the mirror for sixteen years. It’s just that I’m used to practicing my batting in the mirror, so I only remember how I look like in my uniform. So then whose gaze is looking at them now? Who do these eyes belong to?”

“…Could it be?”

It couldn’t, right?

Just then, not far away from me, the man with bristles and a hat blocking his eyebrows lying not far away, blinks his eyelids and opens his eyes. Just as I’m at a loss at how to address him, the man’s mouth asks,

“Mmgh—Ouch… How is it, Shibuya, did we switch back?”

Could it be that he’s Murata!?

In that case, who am I this time…?

1. Once manager of the Seibu Lions. (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tsutomu_Ito)

2. A Japanese director whose movie ‘Tenkosei’ (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tenk%C5%8Dsei) is about a boy and girl who fell down the stairs and exchanged bodies.

3. An anime based on a book. (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dog_of_Flanders_(TV_series)

4. Japanese actress (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reiko_Takashima)

5. This part is a bit troublesome; there doesn’t seem to be an actual ‘my’ before ‘hands’ and ‘head’, until ‘my face’. It’s hard to show in the translation, but actually since the switch Yuuri seems to avoid referring to any part of that body as ‘my’ until this point.

6. Japanese singer, lyricist, composer, novelist, actor, and a film producer. (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Masashi_Sada)

7. I think that would be a correct literal translation of ‘Gokudo no Onna-tachi’, a movie (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0225881/)

8. Google this name and get ready for a shock xD

9. A landmark/marker(?) about 3000m up Mt Fuji

10. Apparently a powerful company? Not too sure…

MaruMA:Volume13:Short Story

2015-12-29T15:53:49Z

Alaxxis Sade: Created page with "By the time I think ‘Uh-oh’, it’s already too late. A salaryman desperately rushing down the stairs with an expression of panic collides straight in Murata and me. Jus..."

MaruMA:Volume12:Chapter 9

2015-12-01T14:33:49Z

Alaxxis Sade:

===Chapter 9===

The corpses have started fighting my friends! Outside of a game, this scene makes no sense.

But the more often I come to this world, the more I feel nothing is impossible here. Like skeletons flying in the sky, tuna growing legs, pandas staying in the desert, etc. Although I can get used to nearly-extinct dragons, I still can’t stand zombies. I can’t stand the undead, and if they’re rotting corpses, thanks but no thanks.

It’s because their hearts have stopped moving. Just looking at that unhealthy skin color tells me their blood isn’t circulating properly. And yet, in that state, why do they still have lightning speed? And can tell the difference between friend and foe? Even if you want me to believe this is something biology cannot explain, it’s hard for me to believe you now that I’m at this age. Because my mind has stiffened up.

If you tell me these aren’t corpses, but some people infected by a special virus, then maybe you could convince me. But these are corpses, after all, not patients 28 days after being infected<ref>Reference to movie ’28 Days Later’ (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/28_Days_Later)</ref>.

“Josak, they should be dead, right?”

“Mn, they should be. And they should have died at least a year ago, maybe even longer. The fermentation is coming along quite nicely~”
“Then why can they still move at a normal speed? H-how are their nerve impulses transmitted!?”

“That I don’t know. The advancement of corpses changes with every day, maybe their functions have developed fairly well? Right, Lord Weller? Ah, the leg broke.”

“I’m not sure, either. After all, the last time I fought these fellas was almost 25 years ago, so they may have evolved a little.”

It sounds like a conversation between IT tech people. On the other hand, so they’ve fought these things before, I knew it.

The hands-on combat with the resurrected group I’ll hand over to those two veterans, and as the combat rookie I have to figure out a way to get out of here. The only exit, the stone door has been smashed to pieces and taken over by the resurrected group with their agile weapons. The enemy density in the room is off the charts, so much so that I can’t tell how many of them are there.

And they won’t die. No matter how those two alleged Shin Makoku masters kill them, the carcasses will gather and just stand up again. Since I’m worrying at the side as I watch, I find that the dead people’s weakness isn’t the head, but the legs. Because once they lose their legs, their speed will drop tremendously.

For some reason, I have that feeling after an entire night of playing video games, because by now I’m numb to terror. Even so, I haven’t gotten used to death, it’s just that it’s really hard to feel pity for people who are long dead. Watching them lose their arms and legs, and still try to stand and attack us, I can only describe this as ‘so annoying’, but the scene in front of me now is really comedic. Crap! Is this the so-called game brain<ref>Reference to the idea of “video games have an adverse effect on the brain” in Professor Akio Mori’s bestseller, “The Fear of Game Brain”. Many neurologists feel this theory has no scientific proof, raising many debates. (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Akio_Mori)</ref>!?

It’s just that Saralegui, who doesn’t live in the era of video games, reacts differently. He’s crouching in a corner, his body curled up as he holds his head.

[[image:MaruMAnovel12141.jpg |center|700px]]

“Are you okay, Sara?”

“…Mother, she…”

“What are you saying, you want to go back to your mama!?”

“Yelshi said, Mother isn’t feeling well… But…”

“What!? So one of those zombies is your mother!? You better point her out quickly then, what if they hit her by accident?”

No matter how you put it, maybe it’s Saralegui who got it wrong in his panic, because corpses can’t have kids. But just the fact that the selfish boy king is actually scared out of his wits, seems to say that he has some psychological trauma about zombies. Like maybe he had a scary encounter as a kid, or was forced to babysit zombies during his summer break.

“Anyway just sit here quietly! At the very least don’t be a burden to Josak and the others!”

I’m not familiar with swordsmanship or horse-riding, but even if I’m an idiot when it comes to fighting, I still picked up some of the most important sword-fighting principles and basic self-defense. For example, leaning on a wall will reduce the risk of being slashed from the back.

Still, even if I won’t get slashed, there’s still the occasional possibility of a weapon piercing through the wall. That’s why, if the wall isn’t thick enough, you have to pay special attention. On this point alone, this wall scores full marks. Its thickness and weight both seem more than sufficient.

“I just hope leaning on it won’t cause the wall drawings to imprint on my clothes… Waa!”
The two of us leaning against the wall yell out in unison. Not because we’re attacked from behind, but because the wall has slanted on its own accord.

“…T-the wall, slanted.”

Falling onto my butt, I turn around and see that part of the wall is leaning inwards like a rotating door, beyond which is a span of absolute darkness. Goodness, it’s just like a secret mechanism. Perhaps out of shock, Saralegui is also staring at the movable wall with his eyes wide and jaw hanging.

“What is this, there’s no end to them!”

Josak, who rarely makes such a loud fuss, starts yelling.

“What on earth is the expiry date on these things!? Just how many times must we cut ‘em for them to just die already?”

“Unless we defeat the one controlling them, there’s nothing we can do to them. These things don’t have a consciousness,”

“If so, where’s their leader—pull him out and get rid of him already!”

“If I knew I would have done that a long time ago.”

Lord Weller slashes with his sword, and so one of the resurrected team’s heads fly into the sky, splattering a foul-smelling liquid as it went, finally landing by my feet.

“Sorry.”

“I-it’s okay, it’s okay—”

I say it’s okay, but my quivering voice can’t hide how shaken up I am inside. Having heard our conversation, Saralegui tries to avoid those undead, swaying unsteadily towards the wall.

“Sara!”

Hazel’s persistent advice from back then flits across my mind.

“No, you can’t go in there!”

“Why?”

“Because that is…”

That’s the underground maze that even an experienced treasure hunter trembles to think of. It’s not somewhere people like us, who are unfamiliar with the maze, can simply enter and come out in one piece.

“But if we want to escape from Mother’s houjutsu, we can only go deeper underground where the power of the gods cannot reach… We have to dive somewhere deeper in.”

“What did you say?”

Mother’s houjutsu?

“So you’re saying that the person controlling these zombies, is your mother!? Wait a sec, there are houjutsu like this as well… W-what a disgusting hobby—”

Although she has abdicated, but she was once the ruler of a country. Judging from the bloodline of Saralegui and Yelshi’s mother, she must be an elegant, strong and beautiful Empress, who would have thought she’s secretly a zombie control expert. As a result, the image of an Empress in my heart, once more crashes apart.

“E-even so we can’t simply enter the maze, do you want to get lost and die in the maze!?”

“We’re just hiding inside for a while, Yuuri. Just until Mother can’t sense our presence anymore and gives up the attack.”

“Why do you… So you’re saying that your mom’s target isn’t us, but you?”

Just because he was born without houryoku, his relationship with his own mother is this bad? But that’s their family business. Right now the most important thing is still to get out of our current mess.

“It’s no use even if you want to stop me, I still want to go in.”

“No, Sara, I can’t let you go in alone.”

His expression pained, Saralegui takes another half step back, his body almost swallowed whole by the darkness. I have to figure out a way to
make him give up, if I let him go on his own and something happen , then that’ll be bad.

If the king of the powerful Shou Shimaron dies in a mission with us, there will definitely be a serious international conflict. This isn’t something an apology can fix.

“Young Master, Young Master, I suddenly think what that puppet is saying isn’t half bad!”

“What are you saying, Josak?”

“I think there’s nothing wrong with hiding out for a bit, we just have to hide until these things back off.”

Maybe it’s because of the difference in their level of trust for Hazel, so the two soldiers have different opinions. Josak takes one step at a time, slowly approaching the wall we’re at.

“Yuuri, if you want to escape those things, your only choice is to run underground, y’know.”

“But that’s really dangerous! He doesn’t have a torch either, how can one person…”

Saralegui suddenly pulls my hand. And at the last possible second, Josak blocks off an enemy attack from the right. In order to avoid the attack, I lose my balance and fall into the darkness from the left.

It’s a very strange area inside.

It’s obviously connected to the room with the red wall drawings, but it feels like a different world altogether. It feels just like passing through a tunnel or standing in an ascending elevator, when your ears and throat feel stuffy, and you can’t hear sounds too clearly. When I crossed that borderline, the scenes in the room look like a TV show on a square screen.

Surprisingly surreal.

“I still think this place isn’t too…”

Just as I’m ready to walk back out, the wall starts moving with what sounds like the noise made by an earthquake. Still in front of the borderline, Josak turns around immediately, holding his breath as he watches the entrance start to close. Although I want to pull Saralegui back into the room, there’s an unexpected force preventing us from going back. The same thought flashes through my mind, “I can’t leave him alone here”.

“Young Master!?”

Having noticed that I can’t move, Josak rushes in at the last moment. If he were a second slower, he may not have been able to make it.

Through the slit that a person can’t pass through anymore, I see Conrad dashing over here. When I want to yell his name, I realize that there’s danger behind him.

“Behind you!”

Lord Weller turns around and uses the hilt of his sword to block the heavy blade swung his way, and sparks fly everywhere.

“Conrad! What to do, there are still so many of those things!”

“I’ll be fine!”

He turns his head back a little, but has no choice but to face the enemy immediately. From what I can see through the slit alone, there are around 10 more corpses that can fight.

“You guys go on, I’ll be fine.”

“But…”

Conrad speaks before the entrance closes up completely, his voice coming through the slit.

“For sure…”

The wall makes a sound like the city doors closing, and seals up completely. The red light from the fire and the wall drawing which illuminated the whole room doesn’t penetrate the darkness at all. The only source of light here is the torch in my hand.

It’s a light that gives no sense of security whatsoever.

Saralegui mumbles,

“It’s no use, we had better go forward and look for another exit,”

“How can it be no use!”

Josak and I try to push the wall with all our strength again, but no matter what method we use, the stuck stone just won’t budge, and we can’t hear even a sound from outside. It’s as though there was never any mechanism there, no cracks or bulges.

When there’s nothing more we can do, I finally say those terrifying words,

“Are we trapped in here…?”

No, we’re not trapped, we’ve been swallowed.

I can even say this darkness has long ago been waiting for us.

{| border="1" cellpadding="5" cellspacing="0" style="margin: 1em 1em 1em 0; background: #f9f9f9; border: 1px #aaaaaa solid; padding: 0.2em; border-collapse: collapse;"
| Back to [[MaruMA:Volume12:Chapter_8|Chapter 8]]
| Return to [[MA_Series|MA Series]]
| Forward to [[MaruMA:Volume12:Chapter_10|Chapter 10]]
|-
|}

==References==
<references/>

MaruMA:Volume12:Chapter 9

2015-11-30T14:43:55Z

Alaxxis Sade:

===Chapter 9===

The corpses have started fighting my friends! Outside of a game, this scene makes no sense.

But the more often I come to this world, the more I feel nothing is impossible here. Like skeletons flying in the sky, tuna growing legs, pandas staying in the desert, etc. Although I can get used to nearly-extinct dragons, I still can’t stand zombies. I can’t stand the undead, and if they’re rotting corpses, thanks but no thanks.

It’s because their hearts have stopped moving. Just looking at that unhealthy skin color tells me their blood isn’t circulating properly. And yet, in that state, why do they still have lightning speed? And can tell the difference between friend and foe? Even if you want me to believe this is something biology cannot explain, it’s hard for me to believe you now that I’m at this age. Because my mind has stiffened up.

If you tell me these aren’t corpses, but some people infected by a special virus, then maybe you could convince me. But these are corpses, after all, not patients 28 days after being infected<ref>Reference to movie ’28 Days Later’ (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/28_Days_Later)</ref>.

“Josak, they should be dead, right?”

“Mn, they should be. And they should have died at least a year ago, maybe even longer. The fermentation is coming along quite nicely~”
“Then why can they still move at a normal speed? H-how are their nerve impulses transmitted!?”

“That I don’t know. The advancement of corpses changes with every day, maybe their functions have developed fairly well? Right, Lord Weller? Ah, the leg broke.”

“I’m not sure, either. After all, the last time I fought these fellas was almost 25 years ago, so they may have evolved a little.”

It sounds like a conversation between IT tech people. On the other hand, so they’ve fought these things before, I knew it.

The hands-on combat with the resurrected group I’ll hand over to those two veterans, and as the combat rookie I have to figure out a way to get out of here. The only exit, the stone door has been smashed to pieces and taken over by the resurrected group with their agile weapons. The enemy density in the room is off the charts, so much so that I can’t tell how many of them are there.

And they won’t die. No matter how those two alleged Shin Makoku masters kill them, the carcasses will gather and just stand up again. Since I’m worrying at the side as I watch, I find that the dead people’s weakness isn’t the head, but the legs. Because once they lose their legs, their speed will drop tremendously.

For some reason, I have that feeling after an entire night of playing video games, because by now I’m numb to terror. Even so, I haven’t gotten used to death, it’s just that it’s really hard to feel pity for people who are long dead. Watching them lose their arms and legs, and still try to stand and attack us, I can only describe this as ‘so annoying’, but the scene in front of me now is really comedic. Crap! Is this the so-called game brain<ref>Reference to the idea of “video games have an adverse effect on the brain” in Professor Akio Mori’s bestseller, “The Fear of Game Brain”. Many neurologists feel this theory has no scientific proof, raising many debates. (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Akio_Mori)</ref>!?

It’s just that Saralegui, who doesn’t live in the era of video games, reacts differently. He’s crouching in a corner, his body curled up as he holds his head.

[[image:MaruMAnovel12141.jpg |center]]

“Are you okay, Sara?”

“…Mother, she…”

“What are you saying, you want to go back to your mama!?”

“Yelshi said, Mother isn’t feeling well… But…”

“What!? So one of those zombies is your mother!? You better point her out quickly then, what if they hit her by accident?”

No matter how you put it, maybe it’s Saralegui who got it wrong in his panic, because corpses can’t have kids. But just the fact that the selfish boy king is actually scared out of his wits, seems to say that he has some psychological trauma about zombies. Like maybe he had a scary encounter as a kid, or was forced to babysit zombies during his summer break.

“Anyway just sit here quietly! At the very least don’t be a burden to Josak and the others!”

I’m not familiar with swordsmanship or horse-riding, but even if I’m an idiot when it comes to fighting, I still picked up some of the most important sword-fighting principles and basic self-defense. For example, leaning on a wall will reduce the risk of being slashed from the back.

Still, even if I won’t get slashed, there’s still the occasional possibility of a weapon piercing through the wall. That’s why, if the wall isn’t thick enough, you have to pay special attention. On this point alone, this wall scores full marks. Its thickness and weight both seem more than sufficient.

“I just hope leaning on it won’t cause the wall drawings to imprint on my clothes… Waa!”
The two of us leaning against the wall yell out in unison. Not because we’re attacked from behind, but because the wall has slanted on its own accord.

“…T-the wall, slanted.”

Falling onto my butt, I turn around and see that part of the wall is leaning inwards like a rotating door, beyond which is a span of absolute darkness. Goodness, it’s just like a secret mechanism. Perhaps out of shock, Saralegui is also staring at the movable wall with his eyes wide and jaw hanging.

“What is this, there’s no end to them!”

Josak, who rarely makes such a loud fuss, starts yelling.

“What on earth is the expiry date on these things!? Just how many times must we cut ‘em for them to just die already?”

“Unless we defeat the one controlling them, there’s nothing we can do to them. These things don’t have a consciousness,”

“If so, where’s their leader—pull him out and get rid of him already!”

“If I knew I would have done that a long time ago.”

Lord Weller slashes with his sword, and so one of the resurrected team’s heads fly into the sky, splattering a foul-smelling liquid as it went, finally landing by my feet.

“Sorry.”

“I-it’s okay, it’s okay—”

I say it’s okay, but my quivering voice can’t hide how shaken up I am inside. Having heard our conversation, Saralegui tries to avoid those undead, swaying unsteadily towards the wall.

“Sara!”

Hazel’s persistent advice from back then flits across my mind.

“No, you can’t go in there!”

“Why?”

“Because that is…”

That’s the underground maze that even an experienced treasure hunter trembles to think of. It’s not somewhere people like us, who are unfamiliar with the maze, can simply enter and come out in one piece.

“But if we want to escape from Mother’s houjutsu, we can only go deeper underground where shinryoku cannot reach… We have to dive somewhere deeper in.”

“What did you say?”

Mother’s houjutsu?

“So you’re saying that the person controlling these zombies, is your mother!? Wait a sec, there are houjutsu like this as well… W-what a disgusting hobby—”

Although she has abdicated, but she was once the ruler of a country. Judging from the bloodline of Saralegui and Yelshi’s mother, she must be an elegant, strong and beautiful Empress, who would have thought she’s secretly a zombie control expert. As a result, the image of an Empress in my heart, once more crashes apart.

“E-even so we can’t simply enter the maze, do you want to get lost and die in the maze!?”

“We’re just hiding inside for a while, Yuuri. Just until Mother can’t sense our presence anymore and gives up the attack.”

“Why do you… So you’re saying that your mom’s target isn’t us, but you?”

Just because he was born without houryoku, his relationship with his own mother is this bad? But that’s their family business. Right now the most important thing is still to get out of our current mess.

“It’s no use even if you want to stop me, I still want to go in.”

“No, Sara, I can’t let you go in alone.”

His expression pained, Saralegui takes another half step back, his body almost swallowed whole by the darkness. I have to figure out a way to
make him give up, if I let him go on his own and something happen , then that’ll be bad.

If the king of the powerful Shou Shimaron dies in a mission with us, there will definitely be a serious international conflict. This isn’t something an apology can fix.

“Young Master, Young Master, I suddenly think what that puppet is saying isn’t half bad!”

“What are you saying, Josak?”

“I think there’s nothing wrong with hiding out for a bit, we just have to hide until these things back off.”

Maybe it’s because of the difference in their level of trust for Hazel, so the two soldiers have different opinions. Josak takes one step at a time, slowly approaching the wall we’re at.

“Yuuri, if you want to escape those things, your only choice is to run underground, y’know.”

“But that’s really dangerous! He doesn’t have a torch either, how can one person…”

Saralegui suddenly pulls my hand. And at the last possible second, Josak blocks off an enemy attack from the right. In order to avoid the attack, I lose my balance and fall into the darkness from the left.

It’s a very strange area inside.

It’s obviously connected to the room with the red wall drawings, but it feels like a different world altogether. It feels just like passing through a tunnel or standing in an ascending elevator, when your ears and throat feel stuffy, and you can’t hear sounds too clearly. When I crossed that borderline, the scenes in the room look like a TV show on a square screen.

Surprisingly surreal.

“I still think this place isn’t too…”

Just as I’m ready to walk back out, the wall starts moving with what sounds like the noise made by an earthquake. Still in front of the borderline, Josak turns around immediately, holding his breath as he watches the entrance start to close. Although I want to pull Saralegui back into the room, there’s an unexpected force preventing us from going back. The same thought flashes through my mind, “I can’t leave him alone here”.

“Young Master!?”

Having noticed that I can’t move, Josak rushes in at the last moment. If he were a second slower, he may not have been able to make it.

Through the slit that a person can’t pass through anymore, I see Conrad dashing over here. When I want to yell his name, I realize that there’s danger behind him.

“Behind you!”

Lord Weller turns around and uses the hilt of his sword to block the heavy blade swung his way, and sparks fly everywhere.

“Conrad! What to do, there are still so many of those things!”

“I’ll be fine!”

He turns his head back a little, but has no choice but to face the enemy immediately. From what I can see through the slit alone, there are around 10 more corpses that can fight.

“You guys go on, I’ll be fine.”

“But…”

Conrad speaks before the entrance closes up completely, his voice coming through the slit.

“For sure…”

The wall makes a sound like the city doors closing, and seals up completely. The red light from the fire and the wall drawing which illuminated the whole room doesn’t penetrate the darkness at all. The only source of light here is the torch in my hand.

It’s a light that gives no sense of security whatsoever.

Saralegui mumbles,

“It’s no use, we had better go forward and look for another exit,”

“How can it be no use!”

Josak and I try to push the wall with all our strength again, but no matter what method we use, the stuck stone just won’t budge, and we can’t hear even a sound from outside. It’s as though there was never any mechanism there, no cracks or bulges.

When there’s nothing more we can do, I finally say those terrifying words,

“Are we trapped in here…?”

No, we’re not trapped, we’ve been swallowed.

I can even say this darkness has long ago been waiting for us.

{| border="1" cellpadding="5" cellspacing="0" style="margin: 1em 1em 1em 0; background: #f9f9f9; border: 1px #aaaaaa solid; padding: 0.2em; border-collapse: collapse;"
| Back to [[MaruMA:Volume12:Chapter_5|Chapter 6]]
| Return to [[MA_Series|MA Series]]
| Forward to [[MaruMA:Volume12:Chapter_7|Chapter 8]]
|-
|}

==References==
<references/>

MaruMA:Volume12:Chapter 5

2015-08-01T17:35:48Z

Alaxxis Sade:

===Chapter 5===

Terine-shan is enjoying the cruise trip.

Gliding over the surface of the sea, ‘Friends on the Sea’ isn’t shaking much, so it feels comfortable to ride. And Captain Mountain Range, who usually won’t let Terine-shan leave his lap, has started to leave the skull on a barrel like this to tan in the sun. No matter how much Terine-shan likes hanging out with the captain, the skull still doesn’t like to be restricted too much, so it’s a pretty good deal, having some alone time like this.

Dazedly, Terine-shan figures that it’s because Terine-shan’s less reliant now, and that must be the influence of the sea.

Of course, staying in the sun too long is bad for the skin, but to a skull that has lived so long and seen so much, it doesn’t really matter even if Terine-shan goes completely black. That’s why Terine-shan never even dreamed that such a thing could be witnessed there. As for her (?) subconscious actions after that, whose fault could that be?

Lord von Bielefeld Wolfram is standing on the deck and building up a relationship with the goddess statue praying for a safe voyage.

It’s just that there are still remnants of seasickness on the corners of his mouth.

Wolfram’s seasickness still hasn’t been cured, even though he accepted the worst secret technique known to the mazoku, something like ‘Günter’s protection’. All that did was give him two days free of retching over the side. That’s why he can’t quite understand why he was forced to take that slightly revolting talisman with him in the first place.

“…And it’s made of hair, too…”

To put it the way Yuuri would, it would definitely be 100% pure fleece, and it feels high quality too. But that’s just saying ‘fully Günter hair’ in a foreign-sounding way.

He takes the little grey pouch of his pocket, letting the cursing tool sway in the sea breeze—swaying, and swaying, and swaying.

“What, you’re not puking today?”

Technically he can’t have been drawn here by the swaying pouch, but Adalbert walks over, all swaying on his feet too. He’s still covered in
muscles, but these days he seems somewhat tired. There are obvious bags under his eyes, and even those muscles, his pride and joy, seem to have wilted.

But Wolfram isn’t exactly fond of him, so he’s not the least bit concerned, even hmph-ing in displeasure. Besides, this fellow was an enemy of the mazoku not that long ago. Even if he’s not feeling well because he’s not used to the sea, there’s no reason to worry about him.

Adalbert doesn’t look angry at all, though, when he hands a packet of powdered medicine to Wolfram,

“Seasickness medicine, go ahead and eat it. It’s human-made, but it may still help you.”

“What? What are you saying? Just eat it yourself!”

“Me, eat this? You want me to it this seasickness medicine made of vampire bat eyeballs and poisonous frogs and rotten pears and merman lord scales all ground together? How could I!”

There’s no way of telling if he’s being nice or purposely being annoying. Adalbert grabs onto the railing and exerts his muscles, leaning out his body dangerously.

“I’m not seasick.”

“Then what’s wrong with you, why does your color look so bad? I’ll tell you now, to get you onboard, we made a huge sacrifice! If the time comes and you can’t perform because your body is too weak, I’ll cut off each of those muscles of yours in order and throw them overboard!”

Seasickness makes one irritable. Surprisingly, though, Adalbert doesn’t snort at his words, instead lowering his head dejectedly,

“I’d rather you throw me overboard…”

“W-what’s the matter, Grantz? Has one of your screws come loose?”

“You won’t understand it, this pain.”

His gaze hollow, he looks out into the horizon and says,

“That voice is always echoing in my ears… A voice saying ‘Father, Father’, and making it a question, as though he’s cocking his head and asking ‘Father?’”

“W-w-w-w-w-w-w-what is that--!?”

Wolfram takes a few steps back,

“Not only did you betray the mazoku and side with the humans, you even had a child out of wedlock!? And of all things, you brought like a cute and innocent little girl onto the boat that’s heading out to save Yuuri!?”

“Which part of my imitation was cute and innocent? You… you’re rather badly sick.”

Adalbert grabs his blonde hair with his strong hands, mumbling in despair,

“After living a hundred and fifty years, never did I think that the Poison Lady’s venomous fangs would still reach me! I even thought I would be the only one to escape.”

“I see, so it’s something to do with Anissina?”

The pretty boy subconsciously nods in agreement. As long as Annissina is involved, even the scariest thing is no surprise. Although he has no idea how the muscleman suddenly got a daughter, but if it’s related to the Poison Lady, then he’ll just leave it at that.

“Instead of distancing yourself from your daughter, wouldn’t it be nicer of she likes you? Since it’s your beloved daughter, then I have no
choice, I’ll just pretend I don’t know she stowed away.”

“W-why are you so sure I have a daughter!?”

Having gone completely into father mode, Wolfram can’t hear a single thing anyone else says. Even if that’s a guy he hates from the bottom of his heart, he’s happy as long as he has a chance to show off Greta.

“Indeed, as a father, there’s nothing like the way your child says ‘Father?’ As soon as you hear your child ask in that questioning way, no matter what it is, you’ll just buy it for her. Oh, yeah, how old is your daughter?”

“H-how o-old? How many years old? Looks really old, but actually it’s only thirty… four, five?”

“Five years old! Mine is already ten. In that case, as a father, I’m your senior.”

“Hey, wait a sec! When did you become a father…”

Completely immersed in father mode, Wolfram can’t care about anyone else’s doubts. Even if it’s a man with a butt-shaped chin, as long as he has a chance to boast about his beloved daughter, nothing else matters.

“Mn—Five years old is really quite young. I can just imagine Greta when she was five, she probably couldn’t sleep without her stuffed toy. If she gets a custom-made toy, she should probably be very happy. I wonder, how about a yellow ducky?”

“Ducky…”

Would it work if he gave a yellow ducky to Maxine, his lower half wrapped up in a grass-woven carpet, sitting like a mermaid and yelling ‘Father’? On the other hand he would really like to pull Wolfram into the room, and let him experience the ‘Father Hell’.

“Since it’s come to this, I might as well try my luck. All right, I’m using hypnosis houjutsu to try and fight the spell!”

“Hypnosis houjutsu?”

Wolfram reacts to that last word. It seems to have some alleviating effect on his seasickness.

“I’ve been wondering about this since forever. You’re not a shinzoku or a human, so how did you learn houjutsu?”

The former Master Grantz narrows his blue eyes, his expression strange and asking, ‘why the heck are you asking?’

“It’s not something I can explain in a few words. I trained so hard to learn it, it almost made my chin split into a butt-shape.”

“Your chin!? Weren’t you born with that butt-shaped chin!?”

Urk… That’s why he can’t stand these greenhouse-bred pretty boys. Not only did he laugh out loud over such a cold joke, he even takes it seriously.

“If you or I were born with a butt-shape down there, that would probably be a misunderstanding. It’s not like your brother was born frowning, was he?”

“No, he probably wasn’t.”

But a chin still isn’t quite the same as wrinkles.

“More importantly, are there babies with a butt-shaped chin? Have you ever seen one?”

“Probably… not.”

“Exactly! Get this me~morized, a chin is just like abs, the more you trained them, the faster they split, and the more you get used to using them.”

“Get used to a butt-shaped chin?”

Wolfram is reluctant, but he feels as though he learned something today, and so he nods. But he may have mistaken this place for some daddy parenting class or something, believing in his heart that a father with a daughter can’t be a bad guy. If he’s not quickly awoken from his father mode and reverted to normal, he will surely be in danger.

But what they don’t know, is that their embarrassing conversation has been broadcast live across the world by all the kotsuhizoku.

Meanwhile, in the Blood Pledge Castle, Gwendal, Anissina and Greta, the trio of large, medium and small, have connected the piece of ‘Happy-Happy Bone Puzzle’ into a huge soup spoon-shaped container, and are holding their breaths as they listen closely to the content coming across the intercom.

Though the content itself is nothing much to talk about.

“What do you think of this ‘Tingly-tingly YESYES Now Receiving Electric Waves’, abbreviated as ‘Tingly YES-kun’? With this, we can even live broadcast social meetings, duels to the death and so on through the bones, receiving any noise whatever it is. Mn--? Oh, dear.”

Anissina points her neatly-manicured nail towards ‘Tingly YES-kun’.

“Wolfram has been duped by the muscleman.”

The older brother holds his head with his long slender fingers, mumbling,

“Oh, little brother…”

Sitting on his lap, Greta tries her best to stretch her arms so she can pat Gwendal’s head.

“Good boy, good boy, Gwendal. Don’t cry—Greta knows, that no matter how you train, you can’t make your chin butt-shaped, just like how there aren’t any natural-born Poison Ladies in the world.”

“Lady von Wincott may have been a natural-born Poison Lady.”

Anissina’s careless words excite the young girl who fell in love with the Poison Lady in no more than five seconds.

“Eh, who’s that? Can Greta be that person’s student!?”

“Greta, we can discuss this again when you reach your zodiac year.”

“Eh—”

Greta makes a noise of dissatisfaction. Because there are a total of 577 types of animals in the Shin Makoku zodiac, so the chances of surviving to your next zodiac year aren’t that high.

“But Wolf’s simple and dumb-dumb part is where his beauty lies, y’know.”

“Oh, dear, Greta, if Wolfram heard you praise him like that, he would definitely jump with happiness. But I have to give it to His Majesty, scolding when someone has to be scolded, praising when praise is deserved. He taught you well.”

“Yuuri wasn’t the one who said that--!”

“Then who is it?”

“Gi—sela--!”

The dejected Gwendal makes an indescribable wail.

“Oh dear, that Sergeant who always picked on strong sturdy men for her pleasure, has finally set her targets on men younger than her? How scary, how exciting. Aha, aha, ahahaha!”

Ahh~ My little brother, I weep for you.

No matter which world it is, the older brothers are feeling frustrated.

At the end of the death row name list, there are indeed names that don’t sound like shinzoku.

Jason and Freddy.

But I just can’t understand the words that look like flying birds, even if I try touching the words as I read. When I see the last two lines of words, the choking urge to cry surges suddenly up my throat.

I’ve been looking for you, for so, so long.

The other three are all men who returned from overseas, now held in the facility nearest to the capital. Hazel… No, Venera seems to know who they are by name alone. She presses her fist to her forehead, her eyes tightly shut.

Even so, she’s extremely wary of rescuing them. By nightfall, she still hasn’t decided on whether or not to take the risk. Even if they are friends so close to her heart it hurts.

Venera’s argument is that ‘they have long been mentally prepared for this’. When they decided to abandon their home country, boarding the boats seeking for a new world, they already prepared themselves for the worst. Everyone knew the fate of those who fail, and the chances of success, before they left on the journey.

“The sad thing is, no one ever told Jason and Freddy these things.”

That’s right, those two just accepted help from a rookie like me, so they have no way of imagining what their future would be like.

“No one told them, ‘be mentally prepared’, because they have no idea at all what’s waiting for them. I made them believe that ‘as long as you return to the place you were born, you will have a happy future’, and then I just sent them back to Seisakoku. That’s basically a hoax, it’s no different from cheating them!”

“I understand what you’re trying to say, Your Majesty!”

“If so!”

“Even so, there’s no reason for us to make an exception this time.”

Hazel is always so calm, no matter what.

“Damn! Crap, I actually swore in front of a lady, I’m so sorry. Damn!”

I carefully put the drink they gave me back onto the ground, then leaving the room as I hammer the walls. After we were chased last time they have helped us, hidden us, eve fed us, and I repay them with such an attitude. How unbelievably rude. The corridor I walk out into is lit everywhere, so I can somehow walk without needing a torch.

Josak and the other one… probably Conrad, are following me as well.

I walk down the opposite direction of the narrow path we came, and after a few minutes’ walk, the flames on the walls stop. I will never step into an area without torchlight, so that I don’t get lost in the darkness.

I stand on the borderline of the darkness and the human world, leading on the walls mixed with mud and rock. My right foot is in the darkness, but my left is in this world.

I don’t talk to anyone, my anxiety only evident in the sounds of my breathing. Josak speaks up nonchalantly.

“You’re definitely going to save them anyway, right?”

His voice is so calm, as though he’s just asking me ‘do you want to join the morning drills’.

“It’s only five people anyway, if we set up an ambush or something it might work—of course, if it was only two, it’ll be even easier.”

“But we…”

I don’t continue, looking at the two faces in the faint light. I can count you in this, right, Conrad? If my guess is right, and this is Saralegui’s plan, then logically speaking the Dai Shimaron government would order you to stop it too.

“There are just the three of us, though? And one of them is me. Be it my batting ability or fighting ability, they’re all zero… It’s tough for me to knock out even an inner-field ground ball. Damn—If I go for base, we might still be safe, though.”

In truth, it’ll be faster if I put my all into a dash.

“I can’t let Your Majesty walk into danger.”

Conrad says with a sigh. There’s even that ‘I just knew this would happen’ expression that I haven’t seen for so long on his face.

“But I don’t have the right to prevent you from going out there yourself… Regarding manpower, though, every country should have people who would do anything for money. As long as we use that properly, they may yet prove to be a useful asset. Ah, I know, don’t worry.”

Seeing the two of us from the Shin Makoku team with our ‘we’re broke’ prose, Lord Weller thumps his chest,

“I can make an official claim.”

“Dai Shimaron are so rich, aren’t they~~ Young Master!”

“That’s right, huh~~ Gurrier!”

Gurrier and I look at each other and joke.

“The problem now is the language.”

Even if my English is fluent enough, my Seisakoku language won’t do at all. In other words, it seems like my soul was never born as a shinzoku. On that note, though, I’m not sure if shinzoku exist on that reincarnation recycling list the mazoku are always going on about.

“Join!”

Suddenly someone speaks up, and when I turn around I see Mr Translator with his thick lenses stand up, his face red. The white moss-like beard is standing up on end, reacting to his agitation.

“Join. One, cousin.”

“One of them is your cousin? No wonder you were so concerned, Ajira-san… Oh, yeah, your parents were slaves as well, right?”

In that case we don’t have to worry about the language anymore. Although we do have two experts here, in terms of numbers, we are still at a horrible disadvantage. But I can’t just stand by and watch Freddy and Jason die because of that.

“Still, we must immediately stop the operation if it’s deemed impossible to succeed. I hope you can understand that.”

“Okay, but it will succeed.”

My old habit is resurfacing again, that sense of self-confidence bubbling up from goodness knows where. Josak puts his hands behind his head, watching us deal happily, and raising his head to look at the ceiling barely above his head—though of course there aren’t any stars there.

“Aaahh~~ I wonder, would they postpone the executions because of rain?”

If it were postponed due to rain, we would have time to practice our plans.

Unfortunately, the next day is sunny.

Even Ajira, the local, is rather impressed by the beautiful weather. There isn’t a cloud in sight, and the sun is hanging high in the cold sky, so bright it’s almost white. The wind that greets our cheeks may be bone-chillingly cold, but as winters go, the sunlight coming down is still rather warm. On that note, it’s still winter here in this country, and quite a while away from spring, it seems.

Standing in the middle of the capital, I can’t feel the difference in citizen classes and the slavery system at all. All I see everywhere is beautiful streets and satisfied people. Everywhere, buildings of similar color and design, and people whose hair, eyes, and even most of their clothes are the same.

There are busy shops, old friends greeting each other with smiles, young couples leaning into each other, old couples helping each other out with the laundry, and children in the middle of happy families.

It’s all too perfect.

Everything I see is too perfect, making me worry if I’ve been duped. Maybe the Seisakoku slaves and their torment is all a lie, and the truth is exactly what I’m seeing now. Maybe this is a land of peace where everyone lives happily. The flood of gold washes over me, spinning my head around.

But that thought immediately disappears without a trace. Because a child tumbles out of an alley, bumping into a beautifully-dressed woman’s foot. What happens next takes less than three minutes, but has nothing to do with any paradise.

The child in the tattered clothes darts back into the dark alleys.

He’s still bleeding.

Conrad, Josak and I all pray he can get away safely, apologizing to him profusely in our hearts, watching him leave wordlessly.

I’m obviously an outsider here, and to hide my hair and eyes, I wear a hat and lower my head, trying to blend into the crowd. In this land of nothing but white and gold, a foreigner stands out enough. If I make any rash movements, I’ll definitely get even more attention.

Only a few foreigners dress like this. I mean, I’m lucky that there are a few merchants who came here from Dejima on business, so I don’t stand out like a black chess piece in the white snow.

Regardless of the turbulence I feel inside, the street returns to normal nonchalantly. Maybe everyone’s used to this. It just goes to show that these things happen here all the time, and it’s only natural to them. Maybe I’m the only one who would get so wound up by a little thing like this until I’m holding my breath and my throat is dry.

“Don’t tell me that once it’s time, all these people will just crowd over to witness the execution… Where’s the location again?”

“In the central square, so they can make examples out of those few.”

Josak’s answer makes me tsk. If my mom were around, she would definitely scold me for being rude and flick my ear.

“In such an obvious place, too… That habit of yours is a bit too messed-up, Yelshi.”

And your name sounds so much like the European Union, too. Wait, that’s EU, right? Josak’s right cheek is twitching now, as though trying to hold back his laughter.

“Young Master, why are you saying that even now? When you were in Van dar Via yourself, you were the mastermind who waved Mörgif around in the middle of the public. Now that was a public execution, complete with evidence. And just like today, the convict back then was a kid. The audience loved it and kept cheering, and wasn’t there this gramps who got so excited he croaked? But that must have been because the Young Master totally lost it then, huh?”

“Is that so. God—That just proves that even if you give me a weapon, it’s no different from peeing at a cat’s ear!”

Putting it that way sounds like it might offend some animal rights’ groups. How should I put it otherwise, though? “No different from feeding a cat”?

“I think they also say ‘throwing a pig a ball’(1).”

But no matter how exaggerated I may act, only I know the coward that I truly am, a coward who can’t stand up to pressure, either. The truth is, I’m almost about overwhelmed by the unease and restlessness. I keep thinking, “What happens if we fail. No, this chances of this plan succeeding were never high. If we fail, will those two be executed in front of me? Can I just stand back and watch as Jason and Freddy are killed in front of me.

Although it sounds disgusting, if I don’t crack some jokes to distract myself, I would probably be spewing out my guts right now. Luckily, I didn’t eat breakfast, though we skipped it because we didn’t have enough supplies. Right now, I’m starting to lose track of what being ‘lucky’ means.

As for Lord Weller and Translator – Ajira, they stepped away for a while to delegate the tasks to the newcomers. Maybe out of fear that he would be admonished later, Josak grabs my arm under the borrowed cape. He applies more force into his fingers, so I can clearly feel the heat of his fingertips.

“Are you angry?”

His face is turned towards the fountain, and he randomly throws down this question. The central square, soon to be a makeshift execution site, is two streets to the east of the brick slab road. Since all the buildings are scattered around an accurate radius, it’s very easy to find our way.

“What would I be angry about? Why are you suddenly so serious, Gurrier?”

“Are you angry about what I did back then?”

“I don’t have a reason to be mad at you, do I? You’re always helping me out.”

“That’s not what I mean.”

Maybe the designated time has come, because water starts spurting out of the tall stone pillars everywhere. The sun shines through, throwing little rainbows around. The girl who waited for ages in front of the fountain claps happily at the colorful images. I mumble, “And soon you’ll be watching people die.” How I hope your parents are decent people, who would come and take you home before the execution.

The spy stares at the spray of water everywhere, continuing after a while,

“I meant what happened in Van dar Via, my attitude and actions.”

“Oh~~ You were pretty cold and sharp in the beginning, huh.”

It feels as though that was years ago, but in truth not that much time has passed. If I count the Earth time, it’s probably only around half a year. From that moment onwards, we started some conflicts with Shimaron, and our journey around the world.

“But that couldn’t have been helped, either, since I wasn’t trusted, was I. After all, a brat just shows up and says, ‘I’m the king—‘, of course no one would believe that immediately.”

Actually the situation hasn’t changed much to this day. I always feel guilty for not being the talent they wanted, and maybe he caught on that guilt, because he continues stiffly,

“But still, that wasn’t the way to treat a king. There’s something you might not know—Actually I can read Shimaron words, and I knew all too well what kind of event that would be. But I still forced Your Majesty into the gladiator ring, so how is that any different from lying to you?”

So that’s it! Well, I completely, utterly didn’t notice that at all, but it’s embarrassing if he knew that, so I just reply with a nod.

“That’s more than enough to get me beheaded, it’s just that mazoku sentences don’t have beheading as an option. Whenever I think about that now, I feel so ashamed it’s physically uncomfortable. I’m really… really very sorry.”

“When it comes to embarrassment, let’s call it a draw.”

The fountain show ends after showing the people a temporary illusion. Now there’s only a small steady trickle of water from the stone pillars, and the girl takes her mother’s hand, walking towards the east of the road. Sigh~~ They went there after all.

“Anyway, that was my first impression.”

The crowd starts slowly moving to the east.

“But now I rely on you a lot, you know? Especially this mission this time, I’ve been relying on you since we were in Shou Shimaron.”

Even though we’re aware that the people are moving, we’re still standing in front of the fountain.

“And besides, since it’s come to this, there’s no reason for you to explain all this to me. In fact, your confession is kinda throwing me off-guard. Ah, could it be that you’re saying considerate things to comfort me and lessen my worries?”

Thanks so much, Gurrier. I punch his buff biceps. Even through the clothing, they have an enviable elasticity, the sound made by a punch rich and melodious.

Yup, even his body is full marks.

“That thing that my pops is always worried about, something like an ‘Employee Grading Chart’, if I was in charge of grading you, you would get A for everything. So there’s no need to suddenly feel guilty for something in the past, kay? Ah, or were you scolded by Gwendal? If you were, I can help you explain.”

“No, of course not~~ That person is an excellent boss, and never says anything to make me feel dejected.”

“Or did Conrad…?”

“That traitor has no right to judge me. Ah, geez~~ Young Master, don’t look so torn, or else Gurrier will be thrown off-guard too.”

Normally he can adopt that onee-san tone naturally, but today his voice is full of self-condescension, and it’s so rare to see him look shy. With the way the situation is spiraling, maybe a thunderstorm will start soon?

“I just wanted to apologize to you, and I thought that I just had to tell it to your face.”

Josak looks really happy saying that, his gaze moving from the fountain to me.

“How wonderful, now I feel much more at ease.”

“What do you mean by at ease, Josak?”

That orange fringe and half-hidden blue eyes peep out from underneath the grey hood. Even if I tell myself it’s impossible, I still ask, slightly uneasily,

“You wouldn’t be… going anywhere, would you?”

“Going where? I always have a lot of missions overseas, so I can’t always be by your side.”

“That’s not what I meant!”

I’m terrified that I may jinx things, so I don’t dare continue. If he were to disappear from my sight too, I really wouldn’t know who to call out to anymore.

“…I didn’t mean… It’s nothing…”

I rub my eyes with my fist.

“It’s nothing.”

“Young Master is so weird too—”

Josak releases my hand, chuckling with his back towards me. He’s really no different from usual, as cheerful as always, and even complaining, “If swords weren’t carried by your waist and instead strapped onto your back, it gets really hard to pull them out~~”

The music to announce the time starts up, and the people who were leisurely strolling starts striding towards the east in unison. Their destination is the square two streets away. There’s a special event to be held today, and no matter what it can’t be missed—The way the shinzoku citizens whisper is imprinted clearly into my mind.

“You brought that thing, right?”

I nod in lieu of a reply to Josak’s question, and sort of confirm whether the thing is on me, my sweat hands curling into fists. There’s the feeling of old paper and packets of powder between my fingers.

I will save you two.

I lower my voice, muttering to myself almost inaudibly.

I will definitely save you two.

1. Apparently the actual term is ‘throwing a pig a pearl’, which goes together with ‘giving a cat a gold coin’, meaning something futile and ill-thought of.

MaruMA:Volume12:Chapter 5

2015-08-01T17:34:27Z

Alaxxis Sade: Created page with "Chapter 5 Terine-shan is enjoying the cruise trip. Gliding over the surface of the sea, ‘Friends on the Sea’ isn’t shaking much, so it feels comfortable to ride. And..."

Chapter 5

Terine-shan is enjoying the cruise trip.

Gliding over the surface of the sea, ‘Friends on the Sea’ isn’t shaking much, so it feels comfortable to ride. And Captain Mountain Range, who usually won’t let Terine-shan leave his lap, has started to leave the skull on a barrel like this to tan in the sun. No matter how much Terine-shan likes hanging out with the captain, the skull still doesn’t like to be restricted too much, so it’s a pretty good deal, having some alone time like this.

Dazedly, Terine-shan figures that it’s because Terine-shan’s less reliant now, and that must be the influence of the sea.

Of course, staying in the sun too long is bad for the skin, but to a skull that has lived so long and seen so much, it doesn’t really matter even if Terine-shan goes completely black. That’s why Terine-shan never even dreamed that such a thing could be witnessed there. As for her (?) subconscious actions after that, whose fault could that be?

Lord von Bielefeld Wolfram is standing on the deck and building up a relationship with the goddess statue praying for a safe voyage.

It’s just that there are still remnants of seasickness on the corners of his mouth.

Wolfram’s seasickness still hasn’t been cured, even though he accepted the worst secret technique known to the mazoku, something like ‘Günter’s protection’. All that did was give him two days free of retching over the side. That’s why he can’t quite understand why he was forced to take that slightly revolting talisman with him in the first place.

“…And it’s made of hair, too…”

To put it the way Yuuri would, it would definitely be 100% pure fleece, and it feels high quality too. But that’s just saying ‘fully Günter hair’ in a foreign-sounding way.

He takes the little grey pouch of his pocket, letting the cursing tool sway in the sea breeze—swaying, and swaying, and swaying.

“What, you’re not puking today?”

Technically he can’t have been drawn here by the swaying pouch, but Adalbert walks over, all swaying on his feet too. He’s still covered in
muscles, but these days he seems somewhat tired. There are obvious bags under his eyes, and even those muscles, his pride and joy, seem to have wilted.

But Wolfram isn’t exactly fond of him, so he’s not the least bit concerned, even hmph-ing in displeasure. Besides, this fellow was an enemy of the mazoku not that long ago. Even if he’s not feeling well because he’s not used to the sea, there’s no reason to worry about him.

Adalbert doesn’t look angry at all, though, when he hands a packet of powdered medicine to Wolfram,

“Seasickness medicine, go ahead and eat it. It’s human-made, but it may still help you.”

“What? What are you saying? Just eat it yourself!”

“Me, eat this? You want me to it this seasickness medicine made of vampire bat eyeballs and poisonous frogs and rotten pears and merman lord scales all ground together? How could I!”

There’s no way of telling if he’s being nice or purposely being annoying. Adalbert grabs onto the railing and exerts his muscles, leaning out his body dangerously.

“I’m not seasick.”

“Then what’s wrong with you, why does your color look so bad? I’ll tell you now, to get you onboard, we made a huge sacrifice! If the time comes and you can’t perform because your body is too weak, I’ll cut off each of those muscles of yours in order and throw them overboard!”

Seasickness makes one irritable. Surprisingly, though, Adalbert doesn’t snort at his words, instead lowering his head dejectedly,

“I’d rather you throw me overboard…”

“W-what’s the matter, Grantz? Has one of your screws come loose?”

“You won’t understand it, this pain.”

His gaze hollow, he looks out into the horizon and says,

“That voice is always echoing in my ears… A voice saying ‘Father, Father’, and making it a question, as though he’s cocking his head and asking ‘Father?’”

“W-w-w-w-w-w-w-what is that--!?”

Wolfram takes a few steps back,

“Not only did you betray the mazoku and side with the humans, you even had a child out of wedlock!? And of all things, you brought like a cute and innocent little girl onto the boat that’s heading out to save Yuuri!?”

“Which part of my imitation was cute and innocent? You… you’re rather badly sick.”

Adalbert grabs his blonde hair with his strong hands, mumbling in despair,

“After living a hundred and fifty years, never did I think that the Poison Lady’s venomous fangs would still reach me! I even thought I would be the only one to escape.”

“I see, so it’s something to do with Anissina?”

The pretty boy subconsciously nods in agreement. As long as Annissina is involved, even the scariest thing is no surprise. Although he has no idea how the muscleman suddenly got a daughter, but if it’s related to the Poison Lady, then he’ll just leave it at that.

“Instead of distancing yourself from your daughter, wouldn’t it be nicer of she likes you? Since it’s your beloved daughter, then I have no
choice, I’ll just pretend I don’t know she stowed away.”

“W-why are you so sure I have a daughter!?”

Having gone completely into father mode, Wolfram can’t hear a single thing anyone else says. Even if that’s a guy he hates from the bottom of his heart, he’s happy as long as he has a chance to show off Greta.

“Indeed, as a father, there’s nothing like the way your child says ‘Father?’ As soon as you hear your child ask in that questioning way, no matter what it is, you’ll just buy it for her. Oh, yeah, how old is your daughter?”

“H-how o-old? How many years old? Looks really old, but actually it’s only thirty… four, five?”

“Five years old! Mine is already ten. In that case, as a father, I’m your senior.”

“Hey, wait a sec! When did you become a father…”

Completely immersed in father mode, Wolfram can’t care about anyone else’s doubts. Even if it’s a man with a butt-shaped chin, as long as he has a chance to boast about his beloved daughter, nothing else matters.

“Mn—Five years old is really quite young. I can just imagine Greta when she was five, she probably couldn’t sleep without her stuffed toy. If she gets a custom-made toy, she should probably be very happy. I wonder, how about a yellow ducky?”

“Ducky…”

Would it work if he gave a yellow ducky to Maxine, his lower half wrapped up in a grass-woven carpet, sitting like a mermaid and yelling ‘Father’? On the other hand he would really like to pull Wolfram into the room, and let him experience the ‘Father Hell’.

“Since it’s come to this, I might as well try my luck. All right, I’m using hypnosis houjutsu to try and fight the spell!”

“Hypnosis houjutsu?”

Wolfram reacts to that last word. It seems to have some alleviating effect on his seasickness.

“I’ve been wondering about this since forever. You’re not a shinzoku or a human, so how did you learn houjutsu?”

The former Master Grantz narrows his blue eyes, his expression strange and asking, ‘why the heck are you asking?’

“It’s not something I can explain in a few words. I trained so hard to learn it, it almost made my chin split into a butt-shape.”

“Your chin!? Weren’t you born with that butt-shaped chin!?”

Urk… That’s why he can’t stand these greenhouse-bred pretty boys. Not only did he laugh out loud over such a cold joke, he even takes it seriously.

“If you or I were born with a butt-shape down there, that would probably be a misunderstanding. It’s not like your brother was born frowning, was he?”

“No, he probably wasn’t.”

But a chin still isn’t quite the same as wrinkles.

“More importantly, are there babies with a butt-shaped chin? Have you ever seen one?”

“Probably… not.”

“Exactly! Get this me~morized, a chin is just like abs, the more you trained them, the faster they split, and the more you get used to using them.”

“Get used to a butt-shaped chin?”

Wolfram is reluctant, but he feels as though he learned something today, and so he nods. But he may have mistaken this place for some daddy parenting class or something, believing in his heart that a father with a daughter can’t be a bad guy. If he’s not quickly awoken from his father mode and reverted to normal, he will surely be in danger.

But what they don’t know, is that their embarrassing conversation has been broadcast live across the world by all the kotsuhizoku.

Meanwhile, in the Blood Pledge Castle, Gwendal, Anissina and Greta, the trio of large, medium and small, have connected the piece of ‘Happy-Happy Bone Puzzle’ into a huge soup spoon-shaped container, and are holding their breaths as they listen closely to the content coming across the intercom.

Though the content itself is nothing much to talk about.

“What do you think of this ‘Tingly-tingly YESYES Now Receiving Electric Waves’, abbreviated as ‘Tingly YES-kun’? With this, we can even live broadcast social meetings, duels to the death and so on through the bones, receiving any noise whatever it is. Mn--? Oh, dear.”

Anissina points her neatly-manicured nail towards ‘Tingly YES-kun’.

“Wolfram has been duped by the muscleman.”

The older brother holds his head with his long slender fingers, mumbling,

“Oh, little brother…”

Sitting on his lap, Greta tries her best to stretch her arms so she can pat Gwendal’s head.

“Good boy, good boy, Gwendal. Don’t cry—Greta knows, that no matter how you train, you can’t make your chin butt-shaped, just like how there aren’t any natural-born Poison Ladies in the world.”

“Lady von Wincott may have been a natural-born Poison Lady.”

Anissina’s careless words excite the young girl who fell in love with the Poison Lady in no more than five seconds.

“Eh, who’s that? Can Greta be that person’s student!?”

“Greta, we can discuss this again when you reach your zodiac year.”

“Eh—”

Greta makes a noise of dissatisfaction. Because there are a total of 577 types of animals in the Shin Makoku zodiac, so the chances of surviving to your next zodiac year aren’t that high.

“But Wolf’s simple and dumb-dumb part is where his beauty lies, y’know.”

“Oh, dear, Greta, if Wolfram heard you praise him like that, he would definitely jump with happiness. But I have to give it to His Majesty, scolding when someone has to be scolded, praising when praise is deserved. He taught you well.”

“Yuuri wasn’t the one who said that--!”

“Then who is it?”

“Gi—sela--!”

The dejected Gwendal makes an indescribable wail.

“Oh dear, that Sergeant who always picked on strong sturdy men for her pleasure, has finally set her targets on men younger than her? How scary, how exciting. Aha, aha, ahahaha!”

Ahh~ My little brother, I weep for you.

No matter which world it is, the older brothers are feeling frustrated.

At the end of the death row name list, there are indeed names that don’t sound like shinzoku.

Jason and Freddy.

But I just can’t understand the words that look like flying birds, even if I try touching the words as I read. When I see the last two lines of words, the choking urge to cry surges suddenly up my throat.

I’ve been looking for you, for so, so long.

The other three are all men who returned from overseas, now held in the facility nearest to the capital. Hazel… No, Venera seems to know who they are by name alone. She presses her fist to her forehead, her eyes tightly shut.

Even so, she’s extremely wary of rescuing them. By nightfall, she still hasn’t decided on whether or not to take the risk. Even if they are friends so close to her heart it hurts.

Venera’s argument is that ‘they have long been mentally prepared for this’. When they decided to abandon their home country, boarding the boats seeking for a new world, they already prepared themselves for the worst. Everyone knew the fate of those who fail, and the chances of success, before they left on the journey.

“The sad thing is, no one ever told Jason and Freddy these things.”

That’s right, those two just accepted help from a rookie like me, so they have no way of imagining what their future would be like.

“No one told them, ‘be mentally prepared’, because they have no idea at all what’s waiting for them. I made them believe that ‘as long as you return to the place you were born, you will have a happy future’, and then I just sent them back to Seisakoku. That’s basically a hoax, it’s no different from cheating them!”

“I understand what you’re trying to say, Your Majesty!”

“If so!”

“Even so, there’s no reason for us to make an exception this time.”

Hazel is always so calm, no matter what.

“Damn! Crap, I actually swore in front of a lady, I’m so sorry. Damn!”

I carefully put the drink they gave me back onto the ground, then leaving the room as I hammer the walls. After we were chased last time they have helped us, hidden us, eve fed us, and I repay them with such an attitude. How unbelievably rude. The corridor I walk out into is lit everywhere, so I can somehow walk without needing a torch.

Josak and the other one… probably Conrad, are following me as well.

I walk down the opposite direction of the narrow path we came, and after a few minutes’ walk, the flames on the walls stop. I will never step into an area without torchlight, so that I don’t get lost in the darkness.

I stand on the borderline of the darkness and the human world, leading on the walls mixed with mud and rock. My right foot is in the darkness, but my left is in this world.

I don’t talk to anyone, my anxiety only evident in the sounds of my breathing. Josak speaks up nonchalantly.

“You’re definitely going to save them anyway, right?”

His voice is so calm, as though he’s just asking me ‘do you want to join the morning drills’.

“It’s only five people anyway, if we set up an ambush or something it might work—of course, if it was only two, it’ll be even easier.”

“But we…”

I don’t continue, looking at the two faces in the faint light. I can count you in this, right, Conrad? If my guess is right, and this is Saralegui’s plan, then logically speaking the Dai Shimaron government would order you to stop it too.

“There are just the three of us, though? And one of them is me. Be it my batting ability or fighting ability, they’re all zero… It’s tough for me to knock out even an inner-field ground ball. Damn—If I go for base, we might still be safe, though.”

In truth, it’ll be faster if I put my all into a dash.

“I can’t let Your Majesty walk into danger.”

Conrad says with a sigh. There’s even that ‘I just knew this would happen’ expression that I haven’t seen for so long on his face.

“But I don’t have the right to prevent you from going out there yourself… Regarding manpower, though, every country should have people who would do anything for money. As long as we use that properly, they may yet prove to be a useful asset. Ah, I know, don’t worry.”

Seeing the two of us from the Shin Makoku team with our ‘we’re broke’ prose, Lord Weller thumps his chest,

“I can make an official claim.”

“Dai Shimaron are so rich, aren’t they~~ Young Master!”

“That’s right, huh~~ Gurrier!”

Gurrier and I look at each other and joke.

“The problem now is the language.”

Even if my English is fluent enough, my Seisakoku language won’t do at all. In other words, it seems like my soul was never born as a shinzoku. On that note, though, I’m not sure if shinzoku exist on that reincarnation recycling list the mazoku are always going on about.

“Join!”

Suddenly someone speaks up, and when I turn around I see Mr Translator with his thick lenses stand up, his face red. The white moss-like beard is standing up on end, reacting to his agitation.

“Join. One, cousin.”

“One of them is your cousin? No wonder you were so concerned, Ajira-san… Oh, yeah, your parents were slaves as well, right?”

In that case we don’t have to worry about the language anymore. Although we do have two experts here, in terms of numbers, we are still at a horrible disadvantage. But I can’t just stand by and watch Freddy and Jason die because of that.

“Still, we must immediately stop the operation if it’s deemed impossible to succeed. I hope you can understand that.”

“Okay, but it will succeed.”

My old habit is resurfacing again, that sense of self-confidence bubbling up from goodness knows where. Josak puts his hands behind his head, watching us deal happily, and raising his head to look at the ceiling barely above his head—though of course there aren’t any stars there.

“Aaahh~~ I wonder, would they postpone the executions because of rain?”

If it were postponed due to rain, we would have time to practice our plans.

Unfortunately, the next day is sunny.

Even Ajira, the local, is rather impressed by the beautiful weather. There isn’t a cloud in sight, and the sun is hanging high in the cold sky, so bright it’s almost white. The wind that greets our cheeks may be bone-chillingly cold, but as winters go, the sunlight coming down is still rather warm. On that note, it’s still winter here in this country, and quite a while away from spring, it seems.

Standing in the middle of the capital, I can’t feel the difference in citizen classes and the slavery system at all. All I see everywhere is beautiful streets and satisfied people. Everywhere, buildings of similar color and design, and people whose hair, eyes, and even most of their clothes are the same.

There are busy shops, old friends greeting each other with smiles, young couples leaning into each other, old couples helping each other out with the laundry, and children in the middle of happy families.

It’s all too perfect.

Everything I see is too perfect, making me worry if I’ve been duped. Maybe the Seisakoku slaves and their torment is all a lie, and the truth is exactly what I’m seeing now. Maybe this is a land of peace where everyone lives happily. The flood of gold washes over me, spinning my head around.

But that thought immediately disappears without a trace. Because a child tumbles out of an alley, bumping into a beautifully-dressed woman’s foot. What happens next takes less than three minutes, but has nothing to do with any paradise.

The child in the tattered clothes darts back into the dark alleys.

He’s still bleeding.

Conrad, Josak and I all pray he can get away safely, apologizing to him profusely in our hearts, watching him leave wordlessly.

I’m obviously an outsider here, and to hide my hair and eyes, I wear a hat and lower my head, trying to blend into the crowd. In this land of nothing but white and gold, a foreigner stands out enough. If I make any rash movements, I’ll definitely get even more attention.

Only a few foreigners dress like this. I mean, I’m lucky that there are a few merchants who came here from Dejima on business, so I don’t stand out like a black chess piece in the white snow.

Regardless of the turbulence I feel inside, the street returns to normal nonchalantly. Maybe everyone’s used to this. It just goes to show that these things happen here all the time, and it’s only natural to them. Maybe I’m the only one who would get so wound up by a little thing like this until I’m holding my breath and my throat is dry.

“Don’t tell me that once it’s time, all these people will just crowd over to witness the execution… Where’s the location again?”

“In the central square, so they can make examples out of those few.”

Josak’s answer makes me tsk. If my mom were around, she would definitely scold me for being rude and flick my ear.

“In such an obvious place, too… That habit of yours is a bit too messed-up, Yelshi.”

And your name sounds so much like the European Union, too. Wait, that’s EU, right? Josak’s right cheek is twitching now, as though trying to hold back his laughter.

“Young Master, why are you saying that even now? When you were in Van dar Via yourself, you were the mastermind who waved Mörgif around in the middle of the public. Now that was a public execution, complete with evidence. And just like today, the convict back then was a kid. The audience loved it and kept cheering, and wasn’t there this gramps who got so excited he croaked? But that must have been because the Young Master totally lost it then, huh?”

“Is that so. God—That just proves that even if you give me a weapon, it’s no different from peeing at a cat’s ear!”

Putting it that way sounds like it might offend some animal rights’ groups. How should I put it otherwise, though? “No different from feeding a cat”?

“I think they also say ‘throwing a pig a ball’(1).”

But no matter how exaggerated I may act, only I know the coward that I truly am, a coward who can’t stand up to pressure, either. The truth is, I’m almost about overwhelmed by the unease and restlessness. I keep thinking, “What happens if we fail. No, this chances of this plan succeeding were never high. If we fail, will those two be executed in front of me? Can I just stand back and watch as Jason and Freddy are killed in front of me.

Although it sounds disgusting, if I don’t crack some jokes to distract myself, I would probably be spewing out my guts right now. Luckily, I didn’t eat breakfast, though we skipped it because we didn’t have enough supplies. Right now, I’m starting to lose track of what being ‘lucky’ means.

As for Lord Weller and Translator – Ajira, they stepped away for a while to delegate the tasks to the newcomers. Maybe out of fear that he would be admonished later, Josak grabs my arm under the borrowed cape. He applies more force into his fingers, so I can clearly feel the heat of his fingertips.

“Are you angry?”

His face is turned towards the fountain, and he randomly throws down this question. The central square, soon to be a makeshift execution site, is two streets to the east of the brick slab road. Since all the buildings are scattered around an accurate radius, it’s very easy to find our way.

“What would I be angry about? Why are you suddenly so serious, Gurrier?”

“Are you angry about what I did back then?”

“I don’t have a reason to be mad at you, do I? You’re always helping me out.”

“That’s not what I mean.”

Maybe the designated time has come, because water starts spurting out of the tall stone pillars everywhere. The sun shines through, throwing little rainbows around. The girl who waited for ages in front of the fountain claps happily at the colorful images. I mumble, “And soon you’ll be watching people die.” How I hope your parents are decent people, who would come and take you home before the execution.

The spy stares at the spray of water everywhere, continuing after a while,

“I meant what happened in Van dar Via, my attitude and actions.”

“Oh~~ You were pretty cold and sharp in the beginning, huh.”

It feels as though that was years ago, but in truth not that much time has passed. If I count the Earth time, it’s probably only around half a year. From that moment onwards, we started some conflicts with Shimaron, and our journey around the world.

“But that couldn’t have been helped, either, since I wasn’t trusted, was I. After all, a brat just shows up and says, ‘I’m the king—‘, of course no one would believe that immediately.”

Actually the situation hasn’t changed much to this day. I always feel guilty for not being the talent they wanted, and maybe he caught on that guilt, because he continues stiffly,

“But still, that wasn’t the way to treat a king. There’s something you might not know—Actually I can read Shimaron words, and I knew all too well what kind of event that would be. But I still forced Your Majesty into the gladiator ring, so how is that any different from lying to you?”

So that’s it! Well, I completely, utterly didn’t notice that at all, but it’s embarrassing if he knew that, so I just reply with a nod.

“That’s more than enough to get me beheaded, it’s just that mazoku sentences don’t have beheading as an option. Whenever I think about that now, I feel so ashamed it’s physically uncomfortable. I’m really… really very sorry.”

“When it comes to embarrassment, let’s call it a draw.”

The fountain show ends after showing the people a temporary illusion. Now there’s only a small steady trickle of water from the stone pillars, and the girl takes her mother’s hand, walking towards the east of the road. Sigh~~ They went there after all.

“Anyway, that was my first impression.”

The crowd starts slowly moving to the east.

“But now I rely on you a lot, you know? Especially this mission this time, I’ve been relying on you since we were in Shou Shimaron.”

Even though we’re aware that the people are moving, we’re still standing in front of the fountain.

“And besides, since it’s come to this, there’s no reason for you to explain all this to me. In fact, your confession is kinda throwing me off-guard. Ah, could it be that you’re saying considerate things to comfort me and lessen my worries?”

Thanks so much, Gurrier. I punch his buff biceps. Even through the clothing, they have an enviable elasticity, the sound made by a punch rich and melodious.

Yup, even his body is full marks.

“That thing that my pops is always worried about, something like an ‘Employee Grading Chart’, if I was in charge of grading you, you would get A for everything. So there’s no need to suddenly feel guilty for something in the past, kay? Ah, or were you scolded by Gwendal? If you were, I can help you explain.”

“No, of course not~~ That person is an excellent boss, and never says anything to make me feel dejected.”

“Or did Conrad…?”

“That traitor has no right to judge me. Ah, geez~~ Young Master, don’t look so torn, or else Gurrier will be thrown off-guard too.”

Normally he can adopt that onee-san tone naturally, but today his voice is full of self-condescension, and it’s so rare to see him look shy. With the way the situation is spiraling, maybe a thunderstorm will start soon?

“I just wanted to apologize to you, and I thought that I just had to tell it to your face.”

Josak looks really happy saying that, his gaze moving from the fountain to me.

“How wonderful, now I feel much more at ease.”

“What do you mean by at ease, Josak?”

That orange fringe and half-hidden blue eyes peep out from underneath the grey hood. Even if I tell myself it’s impossible, I still ask, slightly uneasily,

“You wouldn’t be… going anywhere, would you?”

“Going where? I always have a lot of missions overseas, so I can’t always be by your side.”

“That’s not what I meant!”

I’m terrified that I may jinx things, so I don’t dare continue. If he were to disappear from my sight too, I really wouldn’t know who to call out to anymore.

“…I didn’t mean… It’s nothing…”

I rub my eyes with my fist.

“It’s nothing.”

“Young Master is so weird too—”

Josak releases my hand, chuckling with his back towards me. He’s really no different from usual, as cheerful as always, and even complaining, “If swords weren’t carried by your waist and instead strapped onto your back, it gets really hard to pull them out~~”

The music to announce the time starts up, and the people who were leisurely strolling starts striding towards the east in unison. Their destination is the square two streets away. There’s a special event to be held today, and no matter what it can’t be missed—The way the shinzoku citizens whisper is imprinted clearly into my mind.

“You brought that thing, right?”

I nod in lieu of a reply to Josak’s question, and sort of confirm whether the thing is on me, my sweat hands curling into fists. There’s the feeling of old paper and packets of powder between my fingers.

I will save you two.

I lower my voice, muttering to myself almost inaudibly.

I will definitely save you two.

1. Apparently the actual term is ‘throwing a pig a pearl’, which goes together with ‘giving a cat a gold coin’, meaning something futile and ill-thought of.

MaruMA:Volume12:Chapter 4

2015-06-18T18:48:01Z

Alaxxis Sade: Created page with "===Chapter 4=== The red room is a sort of gathering place, just as Hazel said. “Didn’t I tell you before, the Seisakoku people believe that their gods’ power doesn’..."

===Chapter 4===

The red room is a sort of gathering place, just as Hazel said.

“Didn’t I tell you before, the Seisakoku people believe that their gods’ power doesn’t reach belowground. So we reversed its purpose, and use this place as somewhere to discuss matters. And if there’s no necessity, the soldiers will never step in here. Because to them this is an ominous place. But to people against the emperor, this is the ultimate hiding spot.”

As we’re listening to her experiences these past seventy years, a few shinzoku arrive, staying put once they find their shelter. Their outfits are all simple and tattered, wearing threadbare slippers and clothes on this cold land, shivering in the cold. Thankfully the temperature belowground is a lot warmer than on the surface, and there’s also torchlight for illumination in the room, so it should be more comfortable than running around in the night.

Some of them bring in bags with a little simple food, and others bring rolls of low-quality paper. Maybe maps or some sort of blueprint.

Josak has his arms crossed over his chest, standing guard by the stone door, and scaring the newcomers into staggering back a few steps. But they don’t attack us, giving me the impression that the slaves in Seisakoku are all rather well-tempered. I had the same feeling when we were on the boat, maybe it’s because they’re not violent by nature.

Whether that’s a good point or a weak point, I’m unable to conclude.

There are also amongst them some people who ran here out of curiosity to see the black-haired group, but they all backed away, nodding obediently once Hazel barks a loud order.

Seems like not only is Hazel senior in age, she’s also the leader of this faction.

But after five more people enter the room, I can’t help but offer her a suggestion. Because even I feel a little awkward.

“Uhm—Should we introduce ourselves or something?”

The gazes make me feel very uncomfortable. But that’s no wonder, after all their leader brought in unfamiliar foreigners, anyone would find that suspicious. Besides even though they look worn and their clothes tattered, they are after all the mazoku envoy who were supposed to have talks with the emperor Yelshi. I don’t know if anyone here knows the exact details, but just hearing a foreign language must be enough to make them feel uneasy.

“Because the way we look must seem really suspicious to these people, right? Not only are our hair and eye colors completely different from them, we’re also speaking an unknown language.”

“Your Majesty is my guest, not some suspicious strangers. I planned on waiting for everyone to arrive before making introductions… But to be honest, even I don’t know how to explain this.”

Maybe because she’s getting up there in the years, the wrinkles in Hazel’s brow seem even deeper, her expression hesitant to speak.

“Even if I know you’re not the enemy, I don’t have enough conditions to prove that you’re on our side. After all, I can’t even tell what your motive is, right?”

“Motive…”

Under the many golden gazes and Hazel’s red-brown eyes, I’m suddenly at a loss for words.

There are many motives for this trip, but they’re too complicated to be explained at once, and it’s hard to determine whether the talks with the brothers, Saralegui and Yelshi, can progress any further. Besides that, even more importantly, not just Hazel, but all the citizens in this country don’t even know they’re actually brothers!

“Our reason for crossing the ocean, was to witness the restoration of bilateral ties between Seisakoku and Shou Shimaron. But it was always to witness a third party, with absolutely no plan to interfere with the discussions between the two countries.”

Be it from Shin Makoku’s or Dai Shimaron’s point of view, Lord Weller’s words are extremely neutral and impassive.

“But some unforeseen circumstances interrupted the discussion, so we had no choice but to leave the Shou Shimaron king, Saralegui behind as we excused ourselves.”

“I see, there were unforeseen circumstances…”

Hazel touches her forehead with a cracked finger.

“But you seem to have retreated under fairly dangerous circumstances, huh. Don’t tell be you weren’t attending peacefully? Forget it, I’m not suspecting your identities, just worried that you and the Shou Shimaron king aren’t here for something as simple as restoring relations, and have a more sinister motive. For example…”

Just then the stone door opens, and she glances towards it. It seems to be an old acquaintance of hers, just raising a hand in lieu of a greeting.

“You may be searching for something extremely of use, and can be made into a weapon.”

I grip my fist tightly, damp sweat breaking out across my palm.

“…You’re talking about the Box, aren’t you?”

“Because Your Majesty is the king of the mazoku, and you said so yourself that the dangerous Box was created by you guys, right? If so, it wouldn’t be weird for Your Majesty to come retrieve it personally. At the very least you would know more about using it than an outsider who just happened to accidentally come to another world.”

If only that was so.

I can’t help but sigh inwardly, my voice becoming stiffer. Who’d have thought that after cancelling the summit with Saralegui and Yelshi, I would have to confer with the local underground leader—Hazel Graves, instead. But just this sort of scheming and testing each other out is already getting to be too much for me, I don’t even have time to catch my breath.

My so-called scheming, is only to mumble senselessly and try to throw them off their game.

“Whether you believe it or not, I’ll just be honest with you. We… At the very least, I’m not here to grab the Box, and besides we didn’t expect it to be in this continent anyway. And…”

I raise my head to look at Conrad, he says to me in a completely monotonous voice, “It should be ‘Inferno on the Tundra’.” That’s right, the Boxes’ names are ‘Wind’s End’, ‘Ends of the Earth’, and the one we just knew is here, ‘Inferno on the Tundra’.

“I never once thought of using ‘Inferno on the Tundra’ as a weapon.”

“Should I believe everything you say just like that?”

“I know no one can suddenly believe someone they just met. But we mazoku created those Boxes to seal away that power, and definitely not to be used by other countries or races. Even if I know the location of the Box now, to be honest I’d want nothing more than to leave it there untouched. If only I could sign a pact so that no one could abuse it. Like Dai Shimaron or Shou Shimaron…”

I pause—because I remember the boy king’s crime.

“If you can guarantee that it won’t fall into Saralegui’s hands, and you won’t abuse it, then I won’t enquire about its whereabouts any further.”

He once gathered criminals in the name of experimenting, and caused mass destruction to Caloria. It’s as different as possible from Anissina’s ideals, which is to enhance everyone’s strengths.

“Really?”

She uses those hazel eyes, just like her name, to stare at my face. Since she’s smaller than me, naturally she’s looking up at me. But the reason I feel such discomfort is her eyes. She has the eyes of someone who can see through everything, appraise everything.

“Don’t make the mistakes I made, owning a precious Box with incredible power. According to the records that survived, it may even be on par with Germany’s newly-designed bombs. That’s a terrifying thing that combines fusion and fission, strong enough to destroy a city. Once you have that much power in your hands, can you resist the temptation to use it?”

“We won’t use it. And to make sure it won’t be used by others, I hope to hide it somewhere deeper, somewhere it will never be found.”

Hazel stares at me, falling into a silence that lasts five whole minutes. I feel as though in that time, she’s been looking deep within my heart. And then her expression softens, turning back to that of a kind old lady.

“No offense, but I always thought that Little… Sorry, His Majesty here looks a lot like a Japanese person from Earth. If a country like that got such a brutal weapon, I really wouldn’t know what would happen to the world.”

“…a country like that…”

Nothing I can do about it, Hazel Graves’ world history knowledge stopped at 1936AD. Back then the whole of Japan was under military rule, and America hadn’t joined the war. Not only that, the World Wars haven’t even started. She doesn’t know how the 20th century ended.

“International politics sure are complicated--”

“Yeah.”

Conrad, who knows a bit about the world after that, says as though to comfort me, all dejected. But I rather hope someone could comfort me with something like, ‘You’re doing a wonderful job.’

Hazel, who has no idea why I’m upset, apologizes with a laugh,

“So sorry, I actually did something as stupid as judging a book by its cover. It’s because I haven’t seen any black-haired and black-eyed people in a long time. But Your Majesty looks very honest, and extremely adorable to boot, it must be easy for you to win over the ladies. You’re worlds away from a certain Asian friend of mine.”

After that she turns solemn again, the gentle old grandma image disappearing in the blink of an eye. This should be “Venera’s” expression.

“And more importantly, you are the king of the mazoku, the only existence that can oppose Shimaron. I hope you’re trustworthy, or everything we’ve done to this day, will never come to fruition. The reason we keep on escaping on boats, is so that the outside world can know what this country is like now, that’s why we need to transmit the information to the other side of the ocean. Do you know what kind of wrecks our comrades had to ride across the sea in?”

“All that I know. I’ve come into contact with them before. To be honest, that was a very rash move.”

“That’s right, it’s basically suicide.”

They actually let those people ride those old ships no better than fishing vessels across those rapid torrents. And most of them drifted to Shou Shimaron, where eventually only the kids were taken away, and rest deported back. I rub my chest through my clothes, my heart aching from the uneasy feeling. That was when I got this letter from the twins I befriended—the letter that Jason and Freddy wrote. Moreover, this letter is also filled with Zeda and Zusha’s wishes and hopes on me.

In fact, behind that thin piece of paper, there’s probably many, many more, tens of thousands of people and their wishes.

“Even so, we have no choice but to set sail, because someone has to lead the advance. We’ve been doing the same thing for more than thirty years now, but we’ve confirmed that Shimaron land is off limits. Surely you are also aware what fate awaited our comrades who drifted to Shimaron. But on the other hand we’re not sure about any other countries besides Shimaron, because we have not the slightest clue about them. I figure they’re either completely ignored, or exploited as ready-made labor.”

My wandering gaze falls on Josak, who got some yellow cube-shaped thing from a woman, and is pointing at his mouth to ask if it is edible. That shinzoku lady tears it into strips with her slender fingers, bringing it to his mouth with a smile. They obviously can’t understand each other, but he still managed to mix with them in such a short time. Hazel seems to have seen the same image, her expression softening slightly.

“Just as we were sending people out to sea, the war got more and more intense. We heard that Shimaron even split into two, that info was leaked by the merchants who visited Dejima. At the same time we also know about the forces opposing Shimaron. I was really very surprised, Shimaron obviously hasn’t colonized as much land in these past hundred years as Rome or the British Empire. But since this continent is sealed off, the environment only allows us limited intel, that’s why we feel as though the whole world belonged to Shimaron. Just thinking that monopoly of the world has fallen into Shimaron hands, and is divided into the kings of Dai and Shou Shimaron no less, fills my comrades and I with despair.”

The spy is chewing the food he requested, all carefree. Even if it’s boring because you can’t understand English, Josak, you’re such a glutton. But I still force myself to bring my attention, which nearly got sidetracked, back to Venera’s topic.

“But Shimaron didn’t win the war, did it?”

It’s another country’s business, but Hazel is still laughing so happily her shoulders won’t stop shaking,

“Do you know how I felt, when I heard that some countries didn’t bow to the pressure, and can even fight back? I felt that the world was so big. Thinking that, other than Dai and Shou Shimaron, there might be other places that won’t oppress the victims, even dreaming that if that country knew about our situation, would they stand up for us as peacemakers? So I start harboring hope… But, hope is such a troublesome thing.”

Hazel opens her palms skywards and shrugs her shoulders, the foreigner pose I always see in the movies.

“…At the end I couldn’t stop it.”

“Stop what?”

“Stop the boats from going out to sea.”

“Why has it come to that?”

I grip my hands and loosen them again, flustered, wiping the sweat on them on my thighs.

“So you’re saying that, though all the shinzokus know how reckless setting sail on such rickety boats is, they still won’t stop trying to escape… it’s actually all because of us… because Shin Makoku was at war with Shimaron? If the mazokus had surrendered without a word like the other countries, then you guys might have given up sooner, and there wouldn’t have been so many needless sacrifices?”

“That’s not what I meant, Your Majesty.”

Looking at Hazel’s deprecating expression, I bite my lip wordlessly.

“I just wanted to say, the country that defeated Shimaronn gave us hope.”

Hope.

Hearing that simple word, I remember one of the reasons I’m standing on this land.

Venera, hope, save.

That’s right, we… at least, I wasn’t here to find the Box, and not to stop Seisakoku and Shou Shimaron restoring their relations either. I’m here to fulfill the wish Jason and Freddy wrote to me in their letter, and save them. I said before I would take responsibility for their lives, because I promised them.

“If we’re talking about hope, it should be you, Venera.”

I purposely avoid her real name, using the name people praise instead.

“You motivated those who were treated as slaves, mistreated, and had no power to object, letting them know that they can lead completely different lives, and taught them the way to change their current situation. Not only did you teach them, you even led them into concrete actions, didn’t you? The one who gave the people of this country hope, isn’t Shin Makoku who signed a peace treaty with Shimaron, but Hazel Graves.”

Jason, Freddy, I’ve come here looking for you, just like we agreed. What are you actually hoping for? How do I save Venera, this symbolic existence?

“The reason I came to this land even after being separated from my comrades, is to fulfill my deal with my friends, those twins. Those two wanted me to save Venera. Jason and Freddy are two girls, around twelve-years-old, do you know where they are?”

“Jason and Freddy… those names sound familiar… did those two girls ask Your Majesty to save me?”

I don’t know if it’s because she has no clue about the twins’ whereabouts, or because this has to do with her own safety, but after Hazel ponders over it seriously for a few minutes, she says something that sounds like fortune teller,

“Those names don’t sound like shinzoku names, they shouldn’t belong to the slave class, right?”

“I think they were taken from here shortly after they were born, and were raised by the foster care organization overseas. Maybe the people
there gave them those names. Their majutsu… No, houjutsu is really strong. Like they were born with houryoku. Wait a sec, according to what Saralegui said…”

According to what Saralegui said, no matter how high a status you’re born into, any child without houryoku will be treated as a slave, not even one of the queen’s twins can be exempted. On the other hand there’s Jason and Freddy, they have powerful houryoku, and unlike other houjutsu users, they don’t need to rely on houseki to display astonishing destructive force. I can’t match up to the tip of one of their toes, even.

Since they possess such scary attack power, it’s highly likely that they don’t belong to the slave class. That means I’m trying to save kids who are different from the people here, in that they have better surroundings and facilities? And so I’m at a loss, unsure of whether I should say that out loud.

Josak flicks his finger beside my face, whispering to me, “It looks like they’ll feed us, you know.”

“Why don’t you take this chance to catch your breath, I’m sure Young Master is hungry as well, right?”

As for the woman who was standing by his side just now, she’s fumbling around her sack with a friendly smile. The problem is they already have very little food as it is, and yet they are still willing to share some with foreign strangers they’ve never met before.

What kind of expression should I wear to tell them, “I’m not here to help you”?

It’s Hazel, though, who ignores my hesitation and suddenly yells,

“It’s the returnees!”

“Eh?’

“Those two are returnees from abroad. When it comes to those who returned from the other end of the ocean, to differentiate them from the slaves who mostly don’t understand the outside world, that’s how we call them. If so, when I do my rounds normally, I may have seen them once or twice.”

Hazel says all that at once, and even laughs self-deprecatingly,

“After all, I was originally the old lady who pulled the manure cart.”

There’s already a high school baseball boy as Maou, a resistance leader who transports organic fertilizer is nothing surprising.

“But, if those two children really are returnees… I’m sorry, they’re being held at a very scary place.”

“They’re being held!? But they’re not criminals or rebels, for all you know they’re not even slave-class children, right!? According to the value system in this country, aren’t children with high houryoku members of the elite?”

What she’s saying makes me feel rather uneasy. The girls I’m looking for aren’t pets or livestock that have to be chained up, their movements restricted.

“That’s only for good citizens who’ve never left the country their whole lives, whilst returnees don’t have it so well. If they’re really clueless, then they won’t harbor any suspicions about the current system, and they’ll be able to swear loyalty to the gods and the ruler. But once they’ve known the outside world, then it’s impossible for them to not notice the problems here, so they’ll be even more troublesome than simply the slaves.”

“Troublesome…!”

Hazel scratches her hair with her dry hands, shaking her head in despair,

“That’s why the returnees are isolated, and held in specialized facilities. To prevent them from teaching the people around them, and thus bringing a bad influence. But those places are called facilities in name only, and in reality they’re just concentration camps in the middle of nowhere. They’re just like prisoners, it’s no different from being incarcerated in prison.”

“Oh my god!”

“Those facilities are scattered all across the country, one of them isn’t too far away from Yelshiurad. Every twenty days they’ll send supplies over there. The supply cart isn’t pulled by me, but by oxen. Since I never opened the covers, I don’t know what’s inside, but judging from the smell, it doesn’t seem to be the prisoners’ food. Maybe it’s the personal necessities of the officials who work in such an isolated area.”

Hazel’s tone is full of sympathy. Because of me, those two girls are in a situation even worse than that of the people here.

“When I’m in charge of helping transport the supplies, I’ll try my best to get around there a bit more. Because there are a lot of people there who failed to get away and got deported back, so I have a responsibility towards them.”

Her voice is mixed with pity and pain, clenching her teeth and speaking slowly to maintain her cool. But I can’t listen to her talk calmly anymore. It feels as though the ground underneath my feet has turned to sand, and my body is starting to sink downwards. Just keeping my balance takes a lot out of me.

“…It’s all me.”

I spread open my hands to hold my trembling cheeks, the cold pale red houseki stuck on my little finger now plastered to the corner of my eyes. I’m extremely angry, hating someone from the very bottom of my heart, but I can’t let out my emotions so easily.

Because, all the responsibility is on me.

“I was the one who put them in such a terrible place…”

“No, Your Majesty.”

Conrad grabs my shoulders, helping me finally dispel that feeling of falling. But words of regret start forming in my mind,

“If only I’d stopped them back then. Forget stopping, at the very least I should have investigated the political state of Seisakoku and the shinzoku culture before sending them back… If I had convinced them to wait until then, this wouldn’t have happened.”

“This isn’t your fault.”

I shake away his hands, turning to him, but suddenly my whole body just falls towards the wall. Hazel’s expression changes abruptly, staring directly at the stone wall behind me. That time, I still had no idea what I’d done.

“No, I should have just followed them here. Back then I’d said so proudly that I would be responsible for them until the end, but at the most important moment I handed them over to someone else to handle. I should’ve personally sent them back, I should have seen them obtain their happiness with my own eyes! That’s right, what about the other kids that were with them? Don’t tell me those kids have met such misfortune as well…”

“This isn’t your fault!”

“Young Master?”

Josak, having sensed something amiss, rushes over here. He glances at Conrad, at the same time putting his hand on his sword. Looks like Conrad’s still under suspicion, if I were him, I’d surely feel terrible about it.

“That’s why I said, Young Master, you should catch your breath first and eat something. If you talk about these serious things on an empty stomach, you’ll stand until you get dizzy and finally you’ll faint, you know.”

“It’s not because I’m hungry, sheesh.”

“No!! It’s precisely because you’re hungry!”

He concludes, sounding absolutely sure of himself.

“‘Thinking of things on an empty stomach, will never come to any good.’ Those are our ancestor’s words of wisdom, passed down through the generations, even His Majesty Shinou said that before.”

“On the contrary, when you eat too much the blood gathers in your gut and… Mmph!”

“Stop forcing your way out of this. Listen up, Your Majesty: this is something only someone who’s truly been hungry would know!”

Gurrier, looking like a middle-aged auntie in his long-sleeved apron, stuffs the yellow cube thing into my mouth. The taste on my mouth is something between cheese and yoghurt, and then the turns around to face Lord Weller, moving almost automatically,

“It’s been tested for poison.”

“…I know.”

Although Gurrier exaggerated that it’s the ancestral words of wisdom, it seems that half of it is true. Ad I’m chewing what seems to be a dairy product, that sense of self-hatred seems to have decreased somewhat, and what rises is a little energy to think of my words and actions just now… more or less. It’s still mostly the self-hatred, though.

It’s depressing, that I actually made such a serious mistake in such an important part of someone’s life. Just thinking about that stupid thing I did and the consequences, makes me feel as though even the beasts on the wall behind me are laughing at me.

But it isn’t over yet.

There’s still ninety per cent left to go in Jason and Freddy’s lives, I still have a chance to make it up to them.

“…Please tell me.”

“Tell you what?”

Hazel, who was standing by and quietly watching me, now retorts with a question, her arms folded over her chest.

“The places where the returnees are being isolated, please tell me everything you know about it. Starting with the one closest to the capital. Hey--!”

I wave over the young shinzoku standing in the corner of the room, praying that the paper cylinder in their hands is a map.

“I have to save them… I have to!”

Hazel raises her chin comically, cracking her knuckles like a tough guy.

“All right, at least you got guts.”

There absolutely no trace of the gentle old grandma anymore.

“Looking at Little Buddy here reminds me of my granddaughter! She’s a stubborn kid who doesn’t know how to give up, back then when we separated, she was about as old as you are now. I’ll do my best to help you. After all, those two girls brought Your Majesty over here because they were worried about me, right?”

“I guess you could say so.”

“They’re already in danger, but they’re still worried about others, so I can tell they’re good children who were raised right. How can I just let them be… Right, let’s start from here.”

And with that she unfurls the paper on the ground, pressing down on the right side with her knee. The map of the entire Seisakoku is surrounded by wave symbols, looking like an enormous shell. It’s a map made by the locals, but there are still obvious signs differentiating the mountainous areas and the plains. Though there are quite a few mountain ranges represented here, but as a whole, there’s doesn’t seem to be too many drastic changes in the topography.

I follow Hazel’s fingertip, moving towards the center, west, and south-east.

“I know these four places: north-west of Yelshiurad, the east cliffs, opposite Dejima… and…”

Her finger slows down when she reaches the fourth place, as though that place is even more terrifying than the previous three. I raise my head to look at her with eyes full of disbelief, and the corners of Hazel’s mouth lift with something like cynicism. She doesn’t seem to test my patience anymore, either, and continues,

“And there’s one here, on the northern-most tip of the continent, surrounded by the royal mausoleums, where some horseback tribes hold the actual authority, under the pretense of watching the royal tombs.”

“What do you mean by ‘hold the actual authority’?”

Could it be that Seisakoku isn’t under an absolute monarchy? Doesn’t Yelshi hold all the authority? Just as I’m making to ask her, Hazel’s next words dispel all my doubts. What she says is this—

“That was the place I first landed when I came to this world, that time when I came here together with the ‘Box’.”

“What did you say!? T-then, that thing is there, too?”

“Right, it’s highly likely. If no one found it, it should still be sleeping in the old tombs, hibernating together with the riches of the previous emperors. I just hope that after my desperate break for freedom, no one went in there to raid the tombs.”

Hazel ignores the way we look at each other, continuing to pretend that she doesn’t see any of us,

“But back then I was actually in an ancient tomb. Isn’t that the best place to trap a treasure hunter? If that Box had a conscience, it would have a rather good sense of humor.”

What a painful joke. Especially towards those of us who had witnessed the destruction of Caloria.

But I give up protesting, there’s really no need to increase the number of people who know the Box’s secret anymore. Though to be precise, I lost the chance to protest, because everyone’s attention is pulled to a sudden, heavy sound.

That’s the sound of someone knocking the stone from outside, intense and frantic. The young man closest to it quickly pulls aside the stone door.

“Venera!”

The man yells Hazels name as soon as he comes in, rushing in and talking non-stop. After he hands over the paper slip in his hands, his now empty hands continue moving continuously, as though he’s chopping vegetables—it should be a personal habit of his when he talks. His gaze tells us how frenzied he is, his huge golden eyes moving left and right behind those thick lenses. I don’t mean to look down on any YUTA(1), though.

That white mold-like beard, especially, that covers his cheeks and chin, look awfully familiar…

“Ah!”

The man, who’s finished a part of what he wants to say, jumps at the sound of my voice, and when he looks towards my direction for the first time he’s so shocked he takes quite a few steps backwards.

“Ajira-san!?”

“Y-yujira-san…!?(2)”

This man is the translator who attended the summit. That white mold beard that stands on end whenever he gets agitated is still the same. I remember clearly the nametag on his chest with the error: ‘Translator: Ajira’, but the third words seems to be horizontally inverted.

“Ah, I was right, no wonder you look so familiar.”

“Why is the translator… Why are you, who knows translation houjutsu, joining the underground resistance!?”

Surely he must be having the same thoughts as I am. Why is the idiotic guest who fell from the balcony here at the entrance to the underground maze!?

“Ajira may be a citizen, but he’s a great asset of ours. Because his grandparents’ generation were still slaves, all I gave him was a little suggestion. On that note, he’s here with intel, I think Your Majesty would be interested to know.”

“Listen?”

I pause for a while before I understand that he’s asking if I want to listen to the information. He has a way of abbreviating his common language, and he speaks as short and sweet as ever. Rather than saying he’s a special houjutsu user, it’s better to say he’s good at languages.

And I reply loudly, too—only in verbs.

“Listen, listen!”

“Tomorrow, daytime, execute.”

“…What does that mean?”

“It’s an execution, Your Majesty.”

Conrad replies in English with a tone that makes me feel uncomfortable. Hazel nods, as well.

“W-wait a sec, Conrad, no one would make a cold joke out of this, right? No one would be that crazy, right?”

“An execution means to sentence someone to death, Your Majesty. It’s to make an example for us to see. In other words they choose some rebels who were caught, or pick a few unlucky winners from the returnees we mentioned just now…”

“T-they’ll be killed?”

Hazel, who was listening at the side, has an expression of surprise that says, ‘how can you still not understand the situation’.

“Don’t the mazokus have corporal punishment? But this is still too sudden, what on earth happened? There haven’t been public executions here for several years now. Especially after Yelshi ascended the throne, we were all still happy that his restrictions on us are so much looser than before. Could it be that he’s changed his principles too, and decided to go the same way as his mother?”

Faced with the leader who says such scary things, I retort her agitatedly, even making to pull her collar.

“You’ll save them, right? You will save them, right!?”

“Of course I want to, but… Just thinking that it might cost other lives, I can’t make this decision easily.”

“No way? Don’t tell me you’re going to just watch them die!?”

Hazel, with her expression still solemn, is shaken by the shoulders strongly by someone young enough to be her great-grandson, and finally Lord Weller can’t bear to watch anymore, pulling me away from her.

“I know!”

This is a foreign organization’s problem, it’s not good for me to interfere too much. I just didn’t think that I would lose my mind and threaten the other side.

“Of course I know! But I still feel… feel as though Saralegui must have influenced this.”

“So what do you want to say? Even if the execution was Saralegui’s idea, but we’re still in Seisakoku, the one to make the decision is still Venera. We can’t force them to save them, can we?”

Lord Weller says in a voice so calm I hate it. Even this simple brain of mine can understand that, but I still can’t control my childish emotions. I’m so angry I kick the ground that’s been here for several centuries, bringing up a cloud of dust.

In the rebound of my emotions, I even say some things I shouldn’t say,

“And from what position are you saying this, huh!?”

Even raising some questions I shouldn’t raise.

“As my companion? Or… as Dai Shimaron’s ambassador?”

After a long time, Lord Weller replies in a hoarse voice,

“…What kind of position do you wish me to be in?”

He even repeats the same thing, word for word, in the mazoku language,

“What kind of position does Your Majesty wish me to be in?”

I can’t say a thing.

“Sorry for interrupting your conversation.”

Looking at the paper slip Ajira the informant passes to her, Hazel cuts in our conversation without raising her head. Although I was the one who asked him the question first, I still heave a quiet sigh of relief. Thank goodness he didn’t reply.

But that short sense of relief disappears without a trace at the next piece of information. Looking at that unique writing, like still shots of a bird flying, Hazel clenches her fist tightly.

“There’s good news and bad news, which do you guys want to hear first?”

“Good…”

“Then I’ll read out the good news first. This time there are five people unlucky enough to be pulled out, a lot fewer than usual.”

How is that good news?

“But out of those five there are names that don’t sound like shinzoku, I have to admit, it’s two girls.”

Hazel adds a simple comment in what sounds like a swearing tone,

“Well, that sucks bad.”

1. Yuta are witches or prophetesses in areas like Okinawa, apparently. (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ryukyuan_religion#Yuta)

2. Again, will verify. One word changes from the line above, but I have no way of telling if it’s a typo.

MaruMA:Volume12:Chapter 3

2015-06-13T18:47:14Z

Alaxxis Sade: Created page with "===Chapter 3=== Since my brain has such a convenient function, I should have been informed about earlier. This way at the very least during conversational English class, I wo..."

===Chapter 3===

Since my brain has such a convenient function, I should have been informed about earlier. This way at the very least during conversational English class, I wouldn’t need to give the English teacher face, and I could just sail through the class.

“Who would have thought that my English would be so fluent?”

Although Hazel would occasionally ask me what I said, there are no communication difficulties between us at all. To be honest, I never thought that my middle high English with some katakana mixed inside, would actually be of use some day. I didn’t think compulsory education was really that important.

But the problem is that when I discovered that I could speak English, I start remembering things I forgot. For example the number of the subways stops, a weird older sister who wasn’t Gurrier but was a crossdressing guy as well, mermaids, a fortune-telling box that talked, the uniform of a convenience store I can’t identify, and little duckies.

“There’s even foreign street names… what on earth is this, could it be that my older brother took me running around before? Ah, I have the impression… Ah—but it seems to be some painful past…”

“A painful past?”

In the tunnel that can barely fit a grown adult, Josak can just turn his head around. His orange hair is almost hitting the ceiling, but before that, the torch in his hand might burn the similarly-colored hair to a crisp.

“Everyone has a painful past, Young Master. It’s okay, you don’t have to purposely remember it.”

“If I can prevent my memories from resurfacing, I’d have done that a long time ago.”

The problem is those memories are like water spilled onto a tablecloth, slowly spreading wider and wider. At first they were just tiny slivers of memories, but they start expanding after absorbing enough water, and the images get clearer and clearer too.

“What the—What is this? What’s that outfit that looks like an aproned dress? Speaking of which, that couldn’t have been…”

Seeing me press my forehead as I walk, my protector seems a little worried.

Conrad uses a tone of unease different from his usual one, putting his hand on mine, the one pressing my forehead, from behind,

“Are you okay? If you think it hurts anywhere, do you want to tell her, and rest for a while first?”

“No no, rather than saying it hurts, it’s more like embarrassment! Ahh—ouch! That’s basically giving in and letting others do as they please! Could you just reject it a little, kid me!”

Hazel has always been walking in the far front of the twisting tunnel, so all we see of her is light and a petite silhouette.

“It may be because of Adalbert.”

“What about the muscleman? What does that mean?”

“Perhaps when he forced out the language of this world, he also broke a seal on your memories.”

“Broke a seal… Why do I have a ‘too little, too late’ kind of feeling.”

“No, that’s not what I meant. Right now you’re just starting to wake up to the past that was on brake before.”

“On brake?”

I raise my head and look up, seeing his exceptionally solemn expression. The silver stars with their iridescent glow, are sparkling in the torchlight. It’s been such a long time since I saw him at such a close distance.

“In other words, the English you’re using isn’t just what you learned at school, but mostly likely includes the conversations you heard naturally as a child…”

“Oh, yeah, I count as someone who returned home from abroad too! Though it was just a few short months, and it was when I was just born, when I was just a small BABY.”

“I heard of that.”

Just as we’re talking, my body’s experiences are awakening subconsciously. Something like a gun, burying my face in Bobba… Waa, STOP! Bobba? Pause for a sec there and rewind! In my haste my arm hits the hard mud wall, he stone on my pinky slicing away some of the dirt.

“Careful, there.”

“I’m fine, but what do you mean by ‘on brake’? And what’s the seal on my memories?”

To ensure that Josak can hear him too, Conrad raises his voice slightly,

“I haven’t done any in-depth research on it, but most people keep their memories starting from when they’re two to three years old. As for before that, what happened as newborns or in the womb, there’s practically no recollection.”

“Mn, that’s true.”

“But just as I said before, the soul records everything down.”

It’s memories and records again, why is it getting more and more complicated.

“The reason you can understand the Shin Makoku language despite never being here, is because it was already recorded, accumulating in the depths of your soul. Those are definitely Your Majesty’s… Yuuri’s experiences from before you were born.”

I feel as though there’s a stone choking my throat, but I still manage a gulp. It’s just that my mouth is extremely dry, there isn’t even enough saliva for me to swallow.

“…In other words, I’m using the EXP from the previous owner of my soul to speak?”

Conrad’s expression doesn’t change, as he slowly nods.

“That’s it exactly. Those records that shouldn’t float to the surface, should be sealed behind an utterly unopenable door. After all it must not affect the personality of the soul’s new owner.

“Affect… Ah, is that so?”

The so-called soul’s new owner, is me.

As for who the previous owner of the soul is, I have no idea.

“You don’t have to know those kinds of things.”

I thought for a moment there that my thoughts had been found out, so I can’t help but stand in place. But those words didn’t come from my mouth, instead it was Josak, who’s walking ahead desperately to not lose sight of Hazel, saying in his regular tone,

“Standing from a point after being born, to be honest, it’s no use even if you do know your previous life. As long as you use everything you own now, and live on desperately, with everything you have, then that’s good enough.”

“Well said, Gurrier! If I was Professor Kindaichi, I’d compile a book of ‘Gurrier Quotes’ for you.”

“I’m so happy, Your Majesty! Gurrier is so touched!”

Once someone starts thinking about their past lives, then it’s really game over.

I have been told the name of my past life before, but I won’t simply believe a past I haven’t see with my own eyes. Even if the person who used the same soul as me was a king, at the most he would be as big as the Dessert World’s King of Homeruns(1). The world is a very small place.

Besides, if someone said I was a girl they used to know, then I really wouldn’t know how to react. If we met again, then how am I going to greet them, huh. Something like “President, your tie is really pretty”? Although there’s no president, and no tie(2).

The maseki that’s back to hanging around my chest seems to be heating up, but I pretend not to notice. As I thought, pretending not to know anything and living on is the best way.

But Josak betrays my conclusion, saying carelessly,

“But the people around you would probably feel really troubled, right~”

I trip over a stone the torchlight couldn’t reach.

“If they found out that the person who was a friend yesterday is actually the enemy, or their cute son is the reincarnation of someone who killed their family, then that would definitely be a real bother. They wouldn’t know what to do, y’know.”

“…That’s why it must be sealed.”

I suddenly realize Conrad’s palm, pressed against my forehead, has become scalding hot.

“That’s why it must be sealed tightly deep within the soul, so the people around them and they themselves will never notice. But Adalbert destroyed that seal, bringing out the memories that don’t belong to Your Majesty. If it’s just language, then it’s not that serious. But if even the seal on the memories of back then are broken…”

“Wait a sec, wait a sec!”

I break free from his hand, my heels scrambling against the ground as I turn around.

“I’m just remembering things I saw and heard as a toddler. The memories should be from around three years old. As for the genius kindergarteners the neighbors talk about sometimes, isn’t that just their idle chatter after a good meal? If I say, ‘I even remember clearly how it was like inside my mummy’s tummy—”, then what kind of a situation would that be! Conrad, that would be way too exaggerated. So I say, you’re overthinking this, and worrying for nothing.”

“Is that so?”

“It is.”

I grip the hand without the ring, lightly tapping the chest on his uniform. There’s a ‘thump’, I can feel the force of the rebound, it feels as though I can even touch his heartbeat.

“Worrying for things for me, should be Günter’s job, right?”

“But, I also wish to be able to share your worries… Please allow me to.”

Maybe it’s because of the wavering torchlight, that expression looks close to tears. But it isn’t me, it’s him.

“Even if it’s just for now.”

So many retorts appear in my mind, like ‘that isn’t something you should say to a sixteen-year-old boy’ or ‘there are already rumors flying around town, saying you and Günter are too overprotective of me’. At the end I still didn’t rebut him, just repeated the same, short and simple answer.

“It’s okay.”

I’ll say it again, I’m okay.

There’s nothing in this world that would make me more grateful now, than the cheerful spy’s random interruption. Josak treats everything jokingly, the way he holds the torch to his face and waves it crazily, is like a fire dance, and only he can say whatever he wants without hesitation.

“Isn’t that too dangerous, Gurrier!?”

“Thank goodness—His Majesty still worries about Gurrier.”

“That’s not it, if you really want me to say it, I’m more worried for the torch…”

I suddenly hear someone calling us, and so I look past Josak’s shoulder and ahead—Hazel Graves, now way far ahead, is yelling at us from the top of her lungs,

“BOYS, did you leave your feet at home?”

The two of us who understand English shrug, thinking, ‘Conrad shouldn’t count as a BOY, right?’ If she knew the difference between how he looks and his true age, surely she would be fairly surprised.

The one who starts yelling weirdly after hearing the true age isn’t Hazel, but me.

“Are you that old!?”

If what she says is true, then she should be an old grandmother over a hundred and twenty years old. All that about it being rude to ask a lady’s age, she’s long past that. But on the surface she only looks around seventy, seems her aging is different from the mazoku’s.

If I count Conrad and Josak as well, then standing between the trio of centenarians, I sincerely feel that the elderly these days are extremely active. It really feels as though they’ve become Dokumamushi Sandayū(3).

“But shizoku have long lives, just like the mazoku, huh.”

“No, it’s true that they tend to live to a hundred and fifty or so, but I haven’t heard of them aging slower like you guys. Their bodies will stiffen up once they’re past a hundred, and quite a few of them stay bedridden because of it.”

That’s what she says, but Venera, also known as Hazel Graves, has easily leapt across that chasm. Who does she mean by ‘their bodies will stiffen up’?

“I take good care of my body normally, it wasn’t easy to last this long, but it seems I’m almost at my limit now too. Besides, I’m not from this world, so the effect of time on my body will be more or less different.”

“Hold on, I can’t pretend I didn’t hear that. You’re not from this world? What does that mean? Could it be that Grandma Hazel is just like me…”

“About that, Lord Weller should know it well.”

That half a face illuminated by torchlight curves into a smile, her hand continuously exploring a few spots on the wall, as though looking for a bump or something.

“I died decades ago. In the United States on Earth… Also known as America.”

“America!?”

“…1936 AD, you suddenly disappeared from the outskirts of Boston.”

In my surprise I blurt out, “That’s seventy years ago!”

Conrad watches the old lady’s every move, continuing,

“And you disappeared in a fire together with the house you just moved into.”

“That’s right, logically speaking I should have burned to death back then, but I’m still as lively as ever right now, I wonder why? When I first came here, I even thought this is the afterlife. But if this is heaven, then it’s rather too sinister. It made me think that I didn’t do anything good in my life, and that’s why the gates of heaven wouldn’t open for me.”

“No, no, this isn’t hell or paradise.”

Of everyone here only I hasten to refute her. That’s no joke, if it really as what Graves said, then wouldn’t I be dead as a doornail too? And besides, I’ve come and gone from here quite a few times, now even the people in Japan over there won’t think I mysteriously disappeared.

“That’s right, I’ve figured out this isn’t the afterlife. But back home they must have held my funeral, and built a little tombstone for me, huh. So ‘Hazel Graves’ is officially dead. From that moment I broke the taboo and touched ‘that’, and was enveloped in blue flames.”

“That’s right, you opened the Box. And then you were blown here by the impact.”

“Conrad!”

Just as the conversation was interrupted, the wall makes a heavy noise and slides aside. Upon closer inspection, it turns out that the door here is made of a thick stone slab, and it’s a large round stone that can move to a side, too. But now isn’t the time to stand in awe of a rigged underground passage.

“You mentioned the Box?”

I’m so tense even the tips of my fingers turn cold.

“You mentioned the Box just now, didn’t you? You mean the four Boxes that put us through hell and back? Those things…”

My throat hurts so much, as though I’ve swallowed ice cubes.

“Are here?”

“Not here exactly!”

Hazel Graves watches my expression as she takes half a step in the direction of the stone wall.

“It’s further north, on the edge of this continent. The shinzoku lands are very vast.”

Her gaze is appraising me. It feels like I’m passing through the detectors in an airport, a displeasing feeling.

“Since coming to this world, little old me hasn’t been able to cross the ocean. Although I can’t compare to other countries, but according to my sense of distance from when I was alive, this place should be as big as Australia.”

Hazel even adds, laughing, “But there aren’t any sheep here.”

“Just like its name, ‘Country of the Holy Sand’, there’s only wind and yellow sand here. Forget oases, there aren’t even any decent types of plants.”

“Though you’re not a shinzoku, you sure know this place well.”

“How long do you think I’ve lived here? Li… His Majesty over here already said it all surprised, right? Seventy years, y’know. After staying in the same country for seventy years, I know a lot more about this country than the kids born here.”

She beckons us into a small stone hut, bringing the torch to the oil lamp on the walls. In the many intricate drawings, there are people, livestock, and images of what looks like gods. The room about twenty tatamis(4) big, looks like it’s been drowned in bright red, coming off as majestic.

“Waa—”

Even Josak, who doesn’t have much of an interest in arts, can’t help but praise,

“This is… a temple or some house of worship…?”

“Now it’s just a simple gathering area. But around two hundred years ago, apparently it had the important position of ‘entrance’. Listen up, I’m going to explain it to you.”

Hazel knocks the innermost wall. For some reason, her gaze isn’t trained on Conrad, who’s well-versed in English, but at me.

“The walls of this room are each connected to different passages, but you must never go on, because there’s a maze ahead. In the past that used to be an underground city where people lived, but since two hundred years ago when the last batch of citizens were taken out, it’s been abandoned to this day. Even seventy years ago when I arrived here, there was only an impenetrable darkness, with not a single sliver of light to depend on. Listen carefully, if you don’t want to die, never cross these walls. If you don’t have a powerful guardian angel next to you, there’s no way at all you can survive in the mazes ahead.”

“But Grandma Hazel passed it.”

“You can’t really say I passed through all of it.”

She shakes her dusty white hair, sitting on the hard ground. What’s unbelievable is, her pose isn’t as straight as it was earlier, making her look like just another petite and exhausted old lady. She supports her forehead with her thumb and pointer, head bowed and spirits low,

“…I didn’t walk here from the other end either, that’s simply impossible. All I did was duck inside halfway and walk a small distance to avoid the horseback tribe on the surface. But just that small distance was almost enough to drive me insane. Do you believe me? I, who went through countless ruins and explored so many tombs, nearly lost my mind!”

Hazel seems to be talking to herself, telling of the maze’s terrors,

“I’ve eased my way through raining bullets, went toe-to-toe against wild beasts in the forest, even inched my way through caves, and was trapped in a shipwreck underwater. But I… that darkness really is something else. This is different from treasure-hunting on Earth, completely different.”

Technically, Josak shouldn’t be able to understand the language she’s speaking, but he doesn’t interrupt all the same. It could be that from the atmosphere around here, he can sense what she’s saying.

“There were people living in the underground city up to three hundred years ago, and I heard it was rather prosperous then, too. Though it’s still no match for the cities on the surface. The residents were all the lowest of the low among the slaves, and weren’t allowed to live on the surface. But at least back then it wasn’t utter darkness, and there were torches illuminating the passages everywhere, so they weren’t a dark maze either. But a certain Seisakoku monarch brought all the slaves living underground to the surface. That tyrant didn’t care about these people, and didn’t want to care about these people, so from the on this place has become somewhere not blessed by the gods. When I was wandering the maze, I thought I had been abandoned by the gods…”

Her voice is so low it’s like a murmur,

“…That’s the Box of taboos created by the gods, once you’re driven by desire to touch it, you will receive divine punishment…”

“That’s not it, Hazel.”

I speak up without thinking.

The old lady raises her head, meeting my eyes directly.

“It actually has nothing to do with God.”

“Why?”

I’m still standing straight, and my feet are still on the ground, as I lower my head to look into her hazel eyes. Although it feels as though the beasts drawn onto the walls are about to pounce on us, that’s just an illusion caused by the firelight.

“It has nothing to do with God. That was created by the mazoku to seal away an ancient threat, eventually sealed and hidden away. All that happened long before you or I were born, a long long time ago. Right, Lord Weller?”

I can feel Conrad nod in agreement behind me.

“So, even if you met misfortune due to the Box, it’s definitely not divine punishment. The gods you believe in haven’t abandoned you. It’s just I… all I can say is, ‘I feel so sorry for you’…”

Hazel Graves lifts her head to look at me and Lord Weller behind me, falling into a long silence, before opening her mouth slightly, singing a certain familiar melody in a tiny voice. Her voice is gruff, and the lyrics are blurred, but that is definitely the song that boy once sang in front of the palace.

“What is…”

I don’t get to complete my question because someone nudges my shoulder, preventing me from continuing. When I look to my side, I find Lord Weller has his eyes narrowed, and though he doesn’t say anything, I know what he means. He probably knows what song this is.

I wait motionlessly, until Hazel suddenly stops singing. Her expression is that of a child who was caught crying in a corner,

“If only someone sang this at my funeral for me, that’d be great.”

“I don’t know if anyone sang this song…”

Conrad takes a step forward, reaching his left hand out to Hazel on the floor—it’s that left hand.

“I heard that many close friends and relations attended your funeral, singing and sighing over your death. Even people who live far away and don’t usually interact, used that chance to rekindle past friendships. Your daughter and her husband had positive outlooks, as well. As a way of remembering the deceased, it was truly a great farewell.”

“That’s wonderful, I’m glad. But this feeling sure is strange, learning about my own funeral in a foreign land.”

“And your heir, April Graves became an impressive figure, just as you wished.”

Halfway through getting up, Hazel’s expression suddenly turns solemn, frozen mid-motion. That’s a name I never heard before, but it should be he granddaughter.

“You said April…”

“Two years after you disappeared, she came across the ‘Box’ by accident. Just like you.”

In that moment I doubted my ears. There were four ‘Boxes’ originally, how many of them are in this world? And how many are on Earth!? No, more importantly, why are the things threatening this world appearing on Earth? Just hearing that makes me restless with worry, but seeing Hazel’s agitated expression, it seems that there’s no chance for me to interrupt with a question related to the mazoku.

“To think that child… That child met the same fate as me!?”

“No…”

Lord Weller grips Hazel’s slender, wrinkled fingers tightly with his left hand.

“She and some friends… You should know them, I think they were your friends, called Regent and DT. With their help, April sank that Box into the water, getting past the German army’s detection without triggering the taboo.”

The old lady looks relieved, the wrinkles around her eyes and mouth deepening.

“I met April Graves once, she said she’s extremely proud of you.”

“Is that so…”

Conrad says, with a smile of someone cheering up their own grandmother, “She’s a lot like you.”

“Thank you, there’s no news better than that.”

This time she really cries.

Hazel Graves holds Conrad’s hands, tears flowing down her thin, gaunt face.

Her time has finally been connected again.

1. Japanese confectionary company once invited Oh Sadaharu, who holds the world lifetime homerun record to shoot an ad for the ‘NABONA’ dessert, the tagline being ‘NABONA is the dessert world’s king of homeruns!’

2. There’s probably a reference here, will try to verify.

3. An actor popular with the elderly (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sanday%C5%AB_Dokumamushi)

4. One tatami is around 2mx1m, it’s a removable mat used to make a patron in the floor of a room, Japanese people use it as a measurement unit counting the amount of tatami used in a space.

MaruMA:Volume12:Chapter 2

2015-06-13T18:43:09Z

Alaxxis Sade: Created page with "===Chapter 2=== Late night exploring Japan WITH koi. Shouri booked a twenty-person dining hall, sitting in the middle of the sofa with his head high and chest straight. He..."

===Chapter 2===

Late night exploring Japan WITH koi.

Shouri booked a twenty-person dining hall, sitting in the middle of the sofa with his head high and chest straight. He’s completed all the tasks given to him, so he can show off to his comrades now.

He agreed to Bob’s request, which is to use the Japanese people’s best technique, to host the girl Abigail Graves he unfortunately met in the VIP lounge, just a few hours ago. At first he did his best to reject it with a ‘what does this have to do with me’ argument, and planned to let Abigail handle her lodgings on her own, but she herself didn’t seem to have the slightest desire to. Even if he brought Abigail to the hotel lobby, she would just stare at Shouri smilingly. Shouri was forced to bring the cheerleader captain in a kimono even comedy couples don’t wear anymore—almost crimson-red and embroidered with fish in gold thread—wandering the streets at night.

But at that time Shouri never imagined that she would want to go to a manga café. The moment she saw the 24-hour sign, Abigail happily pulled Shouri’s hand and walked inside.

Late night manga café WITH koi.

After reading a lot of Japanese manga there, they ran to a 24-hour karaoke. When he finally contacted Bo with his cellphone after the latter’s party ended, he said in a half-threat, “I’m letting the koi loose now”, and finally got Bob to come over. From manga cafes to karaoke… Although they didn’t take the Hato Bus Tour, in some ways, it’s still a very comprehensive tour of Japan.

And then right now, Abigail Graves is taking turns to use the remote control to pick songs with one hand, together with the newly-added mysterious man—Jose Rodriguez.

Furious, Shibuya Shouri says to the duo sitting opposite him,

“I did it, just like you said! I properly hosted this American geisha!”

Bob tilts his glass full of Oolong champagne, while Murata Ken holds his spoon full of curry rice still. Seeing them look so laidback, really pisses him off. His little brother is missing, why do they have the sweet time to eat curry rice!

The man Bob and Murata brought back from Haneda is also the embodiment of ‘laidback’. He watches the screen full of anime scenes, singing the song “This isn’t Anime!”(1). As for the hand holding the microphone, forget the pinky, even his thumb is sticking out.

“Oh, yeah? Who’s that guy who looks like he won’t be of any use at all?”

Not only does he look like he won’t be of any use, he basically looks like a troublemaker.

That man who calls himself DR Jose Rodriguez, has his finger-long black hair tied lightly behind. But that’s basically a pointless action, since there are still some tufts of hair sticking to his face or forehead. The narrow eyes behind his glasses always look like they’re smiling, thanks to the wrinkles around his eyes. Although he’s so skinny he looks sickly, that doesn’t mean he’s unhealthy. It’s just that, in Shouri’s Japanese eyes, he has a suspicious sort of feeling.

Apparently he wore weird windbreaker glasses when he arrived in the five o’clock flight, and the first thing he said was, “Hi~~ Everybody, how do I look? I’m channeling Quattro Bajeena(2), you know!”

Recently as long as you wear huge sunglasses, a Darth Vader helmet, or a US president Reagan rubber mask or other confusing things, what’ll happen in ‘Come over here to make a statement!’. But it seems that because Bob has influence everywhere, Rodriguez got to avoid getting invited to another room for ‘a cup of tea’.

Thinking about that, Shouri suddenly wonder: What kind of DOCTOR is he? A professor in anime? Or the relative of an anime shop owner!?

“Ah—Rodriguez is my friend, and a doctor…”

“Oh—So that’s how it is. He’s sung four TWO-MIX(3) songs in a row, too.”

At least he seems to get along really well with Abigail. They sure have chemistry for the first time meeting, even enjoying the Japanese karaoke culture, looking just like an Abby & Rod duo.

“I can understand how tense you feel.”

Murata Ken sighs as he put down his spoon. It may be because his glasses are fogged up, but his expression is indecipherable.

“But we can’t do it at night, the brother of my friend. Just like you I want to find Shibuya as soon as possible too, but once it’s night time, we can’t find him even if we tried. Besides travelling was never too easy, so I hope we can make the proper arrangements before attempting it, to increase the chances of success as high as we can.”

“So nighttime flights don’t work, huh? Mn—then, Murata Ken, are there any specific ways?”

“Specific ways?”

“That’s right. Although yesterday all you tried was diving into dirty water, but now that you have that man there should be some changes, right? Like the magic runes getting an extra corner, or an increase in the spell power.”

The younger brother’s friend frowns, pressing his forehead and signaling, ‘he’s beyond help’,

“There’s no need for runes and spells. And the way to get to that world will change according to time and place, it’s not something we can say in a few lines. Besides, what are you asking so much for? Didn’t Bob say, not everyone can go there?”

“All we need is an exceptional power, wasn’t it?”

Bob raises his head up from the menu, his finger stopping above ‘fresh mushroom expansion-plan spaghetti’.

“What are you thinking, Junior?”

“Nothing much.”

The disco ball on the ceiling keeps reflecting the light off its mirrors, and the piercing rays hurts one’s eyes. Bob, on the other hand, refuses to take off his sunglasses even indoors at midnight, which, in some ways, is the right decision.

“You guys just go on with your plan. Likewise, I want to operate alone too. Just tell me the theory and the method. Anyhow I will prepare that phenomenal power, it shouldn’t be that hard.”

Bob closes up the menu, rubbing his brow with the tip of his finger lightly. The wrinkles around his mouth get even deeper.

“…I thought I said you can’t do it, Junior.”

“Don’t call me in that confusing manner, I’m not your son!”

“And what is that phenomenal power you prepared?”

Rodriguez just happens to reach the instrumental part of his song, the entire room filled with high electrical-wave notes. Shouri leans onto the sofa, saying,

“That’s a trade secret…”

“It’s Bodensee, y’know—”

Abigail snatches the microphone from the doctor, standing on top of a stool and singing as she waves her sleeves,

“Boden-Boden-Boden-y’know—”

“Ah, Graves, don’t say it out loud!”

Suddenly someone hits the table hard, the crockery emitting piercing sounds upon impact. The spoon on the saucer spins non-stop. At first Shouri wanted to ask, “What’re you doing, friend of my brother?”, but the words never left his mouth.

“That isn’t a joke.”

Even though the room is filled with pink or blue light, the change in Murata’s expression is clear, his tone also turning so cold it’s like he’s a different person. If Yuuri was here, he would probably say, “Don’t be friends with a guy who gets so dangerous when he loses it,” right?

“Did you see Bodensee? The one in Germany? Hold on a second here, that isn’t a joke, y’know.”

“Not Germany, it’s Switzerland…”

“It’s all the same!”

“Murata.”

Bob grabs his shoulder to make him sit down, but he displays a rare, agitated reaction that fits his age, even scolding his elder continuously,

“Stop joking around! No matter what we can’t use that thing! Rather than bank on that power, it’d be better to let Niagara flow backwards! If you can only think of that method, no matter how persistent you are, I won’t let you go there.”

“You have no right to decide for me, right, friend of my brother. Besides all you say is ‘that’ or ‘that power’, what on earth is underneath that lake, why don’t you tell me?”

The song ends. Abby & Rod don’t continue playing songs, holding their breath nervously.

“Aaah, dammit!”

Murata takes off his glasses and messes through his hair forcefully. This isn’t like him, this isn’t like the usual him at all.

“Bother! Even if you want me to say it, that’s something beyond normal human comprehension. In any case the thing we sank into the Bodensee is… No, that wasn’t me!”

“Murata.”

Rodriguez calls his name in a gentle voice. Murata raises his right hand in lieu of a response, taking a deep breath,

“In any case, the thing in there is very dangerous, you must never ever use it simply, if you do, rather than saving Shibuya…”

He exhales deeply, releasing the excess breath, as though trying his best to restore his pulse to normal.

“…You’ll only force him to a dead-end.”

Shouri is still sitting on the sofa, looking at the agitated high school student in front of him. He slowly untangles the arms crossed in front of his chest, pushing his glasses frames up with his pointer finger,

“You said I’ll force Yuu-chan to a dead-end? You’re just a high school student, what right do you have to say that?”

Murata’s blood pressure instantly skyrockets.

“You’re utterly clueless!”

“No matter, it doesn’t matter if you want to say I’m clueless about the situation. Anyhow I want to go there, no matter how dangerous it is, or if I have to go alone, I’m still going to Switzerland. Right, Bob, if I say I hope you’ll invest a little with your platinum card—of course I would really welcome any sponsorships.”

He was just yelling at Bob just now, so he shouldn’t usually have the face to ask for pocket money. But the situation is urgent, and he can’t care so much anymore. If it was just Shouri’s credit card, just the two-way tickets and lodging would be a stretch. Faced with the sudden change in topic, Bob repeats the word with a look of surprise,

“Platinum card?”

Could it be that his credit card isn’t gold or silver, but black? Shouri starts imagining how the legendary black card must look like. But the man known as the Maou of the financial world, says as he verifies if his chauffeur is still outside,

“My credit card isn’t made of metal, but plastic, y’know. And I rarely buy things with my card either. There’s no need to help the credit card company earn money, right?”

Bob snaps his fingers next to his ear, and his chauffeur immediately comes in. Technically this room should have a perfect soundproofing system, so how did he hear such a tiny sound? Could it be that Bob’s finger-snapping has some sort of special dog whistle-like quality?

“…Wait, Bob, you changed chauffeurs?”

He still remembers that the chauffeur Bob hired in Japan last time was a polite-looking, fifty-plus gentleman. A man who was always wearing a grey hat, a tidy uniform, and was neither fat nor thin. He was always wearing white gloves, and the car was always polished until it sparkled. Although he was of the age when it wouldn’t be surprising if he retired, the new guy is still too modern, right.

The new chauffeur standing next to his master, looks like he’s better suited for other jobs besides holding a steering wheel. Brown skin wrapped in tight leather pants, he even has completely pointless chains hanging from his waist. His short cropped hair has been dyed red and yellow, his ears and lips all pierced, just looking at it feels painful. Although his height and chest aren’t exactly above average, the muscles from his neck to shoulders are extremely well-developed, that’s a body Japanese people can’t get no matter how hard they trained.

In that sea of beautiful coffee-color, the white of his eyeballs and teeth are exceptionally striking.

“Society has gotten more dangerous these days, so I chose him to be my bodyguard from a certain organization.”

The Maou of Earth, who is actually more dangerous than anyone else, gets the man to open the black leather wallet in his hands as he says,

“He was born in the Caribbean, his name is Francois.”

“Fran… cois…”

“Bonjour.”

The man greets in a husky voice that fits his appearance perfectly—it’s French.

“Eh? Bo-bo-bo-bonji?”

The future governor candidate isn’t good at French.

“His driving skills are pretty decent, you know. If you need long distance travel, just say it, I can send him over whenever. Don’t college students always have to go out of town for workshops? Oh, yeah, Francois, give him five hundred.”

After seeing the contents of the wallet, everyone’s expression abruptly change.

“Ah, don’t worry. He may look like this, but he is a qualified accountant! I feel real secure having Francois carry my wallet. You could call him a martial arts accountant.”

Bob immediately explains. Even so, rather than calling him a chauffeur, it would be better to say he’s in charge of watching Bob’s wallet.

The man hands over a few bundles of white hundred US dollar bills, and Shouri accidentally drops them. The new notes in their bundles fall to the cigarette-marked floorboards.

“Hey, heyheyheyhey, hey—Bob!? By five hundred you didn’t mean five hundred USD, but five hundred one hundred dollar bills!?”

Converted that would be over six million Japanese yen.

There are three normal citizens staring wide-eyed and wondering, “What on earth is the Maou’s financial situation like?” Besides, carrying so much cash into Europe, wouldn’t that case problem at customs? But Bob looks like it’s completely natural, and asks his new chauffeur to rearrange the rest of the money.

“It’s nothing, this is just some temporary investment. If it’s still not enough to meet your wishes, I’ll send my man there to assist you. Whatever you need, just tell him.”

“Bob…”

The one who speaks out softly, isn’t Shouri who’s looking confused at the large sum of one, but Murata, who has taken down his thin-rimmed glasses, the corners of his mouth twitching unnaturally.

“I thought you would object.”

Murata, trying to keep his emotions under control, continues carefully. In the memories of his past past life, Bob was still obviously on his side, so why would he help Shouri do something so stupid now?

“You should know the hell we had to go through back then, right? I thought you would definitely object bringing that thing back up.”

“Ken-chan…”

Rodriguez narrows his wrinkled eyes.

“…It shouldn’t be ‘we’, right?”

“That’s right… No, wait, now isn’t the time to care about things like that!”

Murata waves his right hand, so agitated it’s like he wants to toss away the glasses in his hands, but also as though he’s pointing at something that isn’t there.

“You should know the terror of that thing. Although this is just my personal guess, but the fire that happened before, might just be caused by that thing too. And if even the last one returns there… We can’t take such a huge risk just to let him move to the other world. And more importantly, doing that won’t help Shibuya at all!”

But Bob raises his eyebrows lightly, like a father who discovered his kid’s prank, and just shrugs it away,

“It’s no point even if you force me. Shouri just is that kind of person, as long as it’s something he decided, it’s useless no matter how others try to persuade him. Since he’s serious, then I have no reason to object.”

“What are you saying!? You don’t have a reason to object!? Isn’t the threat that that Box poses, more than reason enough? Bob, snap out of it, you just have to order him, and you can stop him from using that sort of methods! Isn’t he your heir?”

“You’re right, Shouri is my heir. That’s precisely why, I won’t obey your instructions.”

He slowly uncrosses and re-crosses his legs, putting his hand on the sofa armrest. His fingertips propping up his chin, the man known as Bob smiles warmly, as he says in a voice without a hint of a smile,

“If you forget this, I would really be troubled. This is my world, it belongs to me. No matter what my heir wants to do, as long as it’s within the limits of my tolerance, you have no right to interfere.”

“……!”

“It all belongs to me, y’know, Murata.”

His blood gushes upwards instantly, the unfamiliar emotion heating up his entire body. Murata is so mad he’s clenching his teeth, feeling his own helplessness deeply. No matter how long his memories go, the truth is he’s just an immature student, this mind and this body have only sixteen years of experience.

Just because he’s in these warm times, huh?

He’s not directing it at anyone, just mumbling it to himself. No, the truth is he knows who he’s talking to.

Yuuri, maybe I do live in these warm times.

Maybe it’s because I lived these past sixteen years without many obstacles, in an environment without loneliness and fear, so even my brain craves world peace now. If the one here weren’t Murata Ken, but Henri Regent… or Nathan Morgan, or even the long-lived Lampedusa(4), then maybe he could think of a more cunning plan.

The long thin metals in Murata’s hands rub against each other, making an unpleasant screech. He forces out the words,

“…You plan on doing it by force?”

Bob just shakes his head and his finger, a signal that it’s over.

The others heave a sigh of relief as though freed from a spell, and Shouri finally accepts the bag Francois hands over. He takes a few steps towards the door, then points his pointer finger at his brother’s friend.

Pointing at him a finger gun.

“Too bad, Murata Ken.”

The recipient just retorts him, unwilling to admit defeat,

“…What can you do even if you go there?”

“Then let me ask you, what can you do if you go there?”

Shouri shoots back the question unhesitatingly. There’s no need to pity him.

“Graves!”

“YEAH?”

She answers in a way too American manner, making him frown in spite of himself. He initially wished she would pay attention to the time and place, speaking in a more beautiful voice.

“Introduce your family to me, then!”

“OH—This is the first step in dating, huh—the Japanese are as polite as—always.”

The girl in the glamorous kimono replies enthusiastically in a fake Japanese tone. She punches her fist into the air, completely disregarding the way her clothes jump upwards. As expected of a cheerleader captain, she can make the basic jumping movements.

“Don’t get me wrong, I don’t mean your parents. I’m referring to that treasure hunter great-grandmother of yours.”

“OH—So this is what they mean by ‘to eat people raw, first eat the horse YEAH!’, right—”

“The original line is ‘to shoot a person, first shoot the horse’, you messed it up completely.”

As the heavy door closes, there’s also the sharp, clear sound of glass hitting the table and shattering.

1. Soundtrack from Mobile Suit Gundam ZZ

2. An ace pilot from Gundam (http://gundam.wikia.com/wiki/Char_Aznable)

3. Two-Mix is a Japanese pop music group formed in 1995 by Minami Takayama and Shiina Nagano. Their style is fast electronic pop. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Two-Mix)

4. I’m actually sorta in awe.

“Giuseppe Tomasi di Lampedusa (December 23, 1896 – July 23, 1957) was an Italian writer. He is most famous for his only novel, Il Gattopardo (first published posthumously in 1958, translated as The Leopard), which is set in his native Sicily during the Risorgimento. A taciturn and solitary man, he spent a great deal of his time reading and meditating, and used to say of himself, ‘I was a boy who liked solitude, who preferred the company of things to that of people.’”
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Giuseppe_Tomasi_di_Lampedusa)

MaruMA:Volume12:Chapter 1

2015-06-02T14:26:49Z

Alaxxis Sade: /* Chapter 1 */

===Chapter 1===
[[image:MaruManovel12003.jpg|400px|center]]

'''Note:''' Words in full caps were originally in English. Sorry to make them sound like they're yelling all the time orz.

“And I thought this big brother here is just a bodyguard…”

The woman called Hazel Graces is narrowing her hazel eyes, just like her name.

“…How unexpected, why would you call me using that name?”

She shakes her filthy white hair, throwing dry fuel into the roaring flames. Judging from the emanating stench, that should be some sort of animal droppings, but it’s best not to confirm anything.

“What on earth are you people? I just heard that a king came from a faraway mazoku country, who’d have thought that people like you who seem to be the Maou and his party look so normal, and can speak a language that doesn’t exist in this world. Even more unexpected is that one of the bodyguards actually knows the name I rarely use!”

A language that doesn’t exist?

I instinctively move my hand to my throat, asking no one in particular,

“…Just now, what language was I speaking…”

The old lady scrutinizes Conrad and me with a look of disbelief.

“It’s English, you know. It’s all because I accidentally said ‘COMEON. Your English is very authentic, just that you have a unique pronunciation, so I can’t place your accent. I think it sounds a lot like Boston or Trenton, but it’s also a lot like a strange rabbit with a watch, huh.”

“You said English!? How can that be! Old lady… No, sorry, MISS… No, it’s MiSS Venera, right? I know I CAN’T SPEAK ENGLISH!’

Crap, the more conscious I am, the more I’ll see the stiff English from the textbooks. Because my junior high English teacher couldn’t speak English, so if I can speak fluent English, then that would really be a miracle. For all you know I could even say ‘This IS APPLE’ and not be aware of it.

The old lady puts her wrinkly hands on her hips, and brushes away our confusion with a hearty laugh.

“What a polite young man, didn’t I say this before? There’s no need to be so courteous. No matter how tough I am, I was already over sixty
years old when I came to this country, if I still look like a young lady, then that’d be too weird.”

From the way she’s talking she shouldn’t be a shinzoku born on this land, but someone who came over here from elsewhere. Judging from the color of her eyes, it is rather hard to say she’s a local shinzoku.

“But little buddy, you sure have an interesting way of talking! Mixing a toddler’s stiff single words, and the everyday talk of young people, it’s just like listening to Mother Goose and a soap opera at the same time!”

“Actually the things you’re saying are equally intriguing.”

The previously silent Lord Weller finally speaks up, his voice unexpectedly solemn.

“Bodyguards, Mother Goose, soap operas, these are all words this place doesn’t have. Hazel, I know where you’re from. But I hope you can tell me, how you got to be here.”

“The person who asked first was me, you know!”

She raises her chin slightly, looking down at Conrad. Underneath the firelight her red-brown eyes sparkle behind the completely whitened fringe. Although she’s petite, her solemn tone emanates the aura of a challenge.

“So I am Hazel Graves, sure, but I never used that name in Seisakoku. Because slaves don’t have names. But how would you foreign visitors know it? Even if Yelshi sent you guys to lure me out, you shouldn’t know, right?”

The fire lightens up the little hut, the bracken diminishing as it burns and bursts apart, sparks and crackles leaping in unison.

“Who the hell are you guys? You shouldn’t just be this little buddy’s guards, right?”

“Don’t simply point at him!”

When Hazel points at me with her pointer finger, the previously wordless Josak suddenly says this short and simple line. Although he’s speaking in the common language that’s unknown in Seisakoku, we can still here the threat in his tone. She immediately puts her hand down, and stares at Josak, who’s making himself very clearly heard.

“I don’t know what relationship you have with Lord Weller, but I can’t tolerate a slave being so rude to our Majesty!”

“Josak! This person saved us. Don’t make it sound so bad!”

The unhappy spy explains to me, who’s scolding him,

“But it’s not like I’m wrong, Young Master. Even if she helped us escape, she’s still just an old lady who pulls the manure cart, y’know. Even if you don’t want her to kneel down and lick your feet, isn't it too rude of her to point at Your Majesty with her finger?”

A bit of Gurrier’s personality comes through in those words.

Hazel Graves, on the other hand, smiles rather interestedly and talks with Lord Weller, with whom she can communicate. Looks she can tell from Josak’s attitude alone that he’s mad.

“He’s mad now, huh.”

“He’s angry because his master was insulted. Although His Majesty is an open-minded monarch, and doesn’t harp on status, but to a minister who’s sworn loyalty to the king, it’s another matter altogether.”

Listening to this spine-tickling explanation, I feel so awkward I don’t even know where to direct my gaze. When I look at the line where the rotting wooden walls meet the ceiling, Hazel uses a tone completely different from before to say,

“Little buddy, so you really are His Majesty the Maou, then? Even if you’re dressed like peasants, you really are the bona fide Shin Makoku emissary? Crap, then it looks like I can’t call you little buddy anymore.”

She suddenly falls to one knee, holding up my right hand like a knight.

“Your Majesty.”

“Waa! W-wait a sec!”

Seeing the way she respectfully bows to me, I hastily crouch down with her. The two of us are like young girls in prayer.

“Please forgive my previous rudeness.”

“Didn’t I say this before--- you acting like this makes me feel awkward! I’m the worst at dealing with this sort of thing—it’s up to you if you want to call me Your Majesty or Dai Maou or simply Yuuri, but I’m begging you, don’t act all careful around me like you’re touching a bump where you hit yourself!”

Hazel curves the corners of her mouth lightly, smiling in a fearless way that’s completely unlike an old lady. She changes to shaking my hand, gripping my right hand forcefully as she says,

“Please take care of me, Your Majesty. After hiding in the graves for so long, it’s my first time meeting a current king, heh.”

“Hiding in the graves… Grandma Hazel, are you a grave robber?”

“If I really was a grave robber, I’d want to leave more valuables for my descendants!”

She tsks her tongue with a look of regret, and then covers her mouth jokingly. Slowly she stands up, asking me what these two young men’s names are.

“So you’re Lord Weller and Gurrier. How exciting, I haven’t known any man with a name for a long time. But in the middle of your discussions, there seems to have been some conflicts. Even if you can’t save yourselves, there will be helpers appearing in the unlikeliest places. Seems like you were set up by Yelshi… the Emperor, it’s not wrong for me to assume that?”

“NO!”

The “NO” I yell is surprisingly loud, taking even me by surprise. Turn my head to the side, thinking back to the young emperor of Seiakoku sitting on the throne, and the older twin brother leaning on him. Although it only happened a few hours ago, but just thinking about it, gives my brain an intense feeling of numbness.

“We weren’t set up by Yelshi. I… We were fooled by Saralegui… that is, Yelshi’s older brother, Saralegui. Who’d have thought they were brothers.”

I never thought that Saralegui, who was so friendly to me, was lying to me from the start.

“I took half a year to realize that most shinzoku are twins, too. Such as, ‘why did the guy I just saw appear here, maybe he’s a master sprinter’. Besides, no one could have guessed, that the king of Shou Shimaron and the Emperor here would be twins!

Hazel nods in sympathy, continuing to ask,

“But why would the Maou’s party only bring so few people all the way to Seisakoku? Could I have gotten it wrong? I heard that the people at Dejima and the palace are almost all Shou Shimaron men, and there are only two, three mazoku who disembarked.”

“Before discussing that, please verify your identity.”

Lord Weller suddenly interrupts our conversation. He’s right, it’s great to have someone who can think calmly by my side.

“I have countless questions regarding Hazel Graves. But since you have another name, then we also have a lot of questions to ask ‘Venera’.”

“That’s right, Venera, Miss Venera! This Mrs… Mn—Ma’am, since you’re Venera, that means the one we’re looking for is you. Please tell me, do you know two girls called Jason and Freddy? Where are they now? I received the letter they wrote to me.”

Logically they should have returned to the hometown they left when they were young, and have missed dearly, living their days happily in Seisakoku. But from the contents of the letter I received, there isn’t a single word with anything to do with ‘happy’. Instead, after needless suffering, the only words we can understand are these—

Venera, hope, save.

“Please tell me, what kind of situation am I supposed to save you from? What’s happened to those children!? Grandma Hazel please tell me,
since you call yourself Venera…”

Just as I grab Hazel’s arm, there are barks in the distance—looks like our pursuers have discovered this place.

“We still have things to discuss, right?”

Without waiting for our reply, Hazel turns around and walks into the hut, reaching out her hand to open a door.

“If so, let’s have a change of location.”

She grabs the handle, and wooden shards rain down. Once she opens this door that seems like it’ll fall apart once you apply force to it, a little room around a foot in square area appears before us.

I really don’t know if I should call it a little room, or a closet you can’t go in, but there’s a square manmade hole in the center…

“Is it a toilet?”

Hazel takes away a few of the floorboards.

“A-and it’s a cesspit…”

Otherwise known as the ‘ker-ploomp’ toilet. I’ve only seen these at my grandfather’s house in the countryside, and that’s not even in use anymore.

“Relax, nothing to be worried about. This place hasn’t been used as a toilet. Get in there!”

Holding the wooden planks in one arm, she waves at us to go over. Conrad squirms inside first, while Josak pushes my arm from behind—because the sound of dogs is rapidly approaching.

There’s a thin ladder as narrow as the opening underneath the hole. If it was an adult with wider
shoulders, they might knock into the walls on both sides.

“Using the toilet for transport brings back not-too-nice memories… Pardon me for asking, but has this place really never been used as a toilet?”

Hazel, putting the planks back in place, replies without turning back,

“Only very few soldiers who get lost and wander in here, mistake it for a toilet and relieve themselves a little.”

In that moment, I don’t know if I should translate that line for the broad-shouldered spy.

{| border="1" cellpadding="5" cellspacing="0" style="margin: 1em 1em 1em 0; background: #f9f9f9; border: 1px #aaaaaa solid; padding: 0.2em; border-collapse: collapse;"
| Back to [[MaruMA:Volume12:Prologue|Prologue]]
| Return to [[MA_Series|MA Series]]
| Forward to [[MaruMA:Volume12:Chapter_2|Chapter 2]]
|-
|}

MaruMA:Volume11:Chapter 7

2015-06-02T14:16:57Z

Alaxxis Sade: /* Chapter 7 */

===Chapter 7===
<br/>
Their only difference is the length of their hair and their clothes.

Looking at the brothers sitting side by side, I think: If they wore the same clothes, it’d be impossible to tell them apart, wouldn’t it? If I had to differentiate between one and the other, I’d say the younger brother Yelshi is a bit like an emotionless doll, but that’s still within an acceptable margin of error. If he stepped down from the throne, he would surely have emotions as well.

“I was born in this country.”

Saralegui smiles, holding the hand of the brother he hadn’t seen for thirteen years. Yelshi just looks at him wordlessly, though the two of them seem to be able to communicate without words.

“Back then, Father was leading the Shou Shimaron army, and got injured in the sea nearby, staying in this country to heal his wounds. That was when he and Mother fell in love.”

Saralegui, on the other hand, looks a little shy talking about his own mother’s love life. After all that’s happened, I’m even more surprised at that, who knew he would have that sort of emotion too!

“During that time, my uncle ruled Shou Shimaron. But when we turned four, as the older brother I had practically no houryoku at all, so I had no choice but to leave the country. You guys might not know this, but quite a few shinzoku children have powerful houryoku. And most would show the symptoms when they were really young. You may not believe this…”

Saralegui laughs as he shrugs, and we, sitting on the other end of the wide table, can only wait for him to continue.

“But children with houryoku, even when they sleep, the bed will float in the air with them.”

“Sure sounds like something out of a horror movie.”

“For all I know, mazoku children have similar experiences. Yuuri, what about you?”

The two people without any maryoku beside me look unconcerned. But when it comes to mazoku who could cause interesting phenomena like that, I can only think of Miss Anissina. But if it was Lady Cherie, it might be something like waking up in the morning, to find a handsome hottie sleeping beside her for some unknown reason, or a ma-powered experience like that.

“But, you can’t leave Seisakoku just because you don’t have houryoku, right? Sure, it’s convenient to have houryoku, but even if you don’t it won’t affect your daily life, will it?”

“In this country…”

Saralegui raises the glass in front of him to moisten his throat. The skin on his neck is so white it makes me suspect if I can see the grape-colored drink through it. If my mom were to describe it, it’d be like the seaweed in our breakfast miso soup… This simile has been used too many times.

Yelshi finishes the liquid in his cup at the same time. Twins are really impressive. I feel that even without houryoku, they should have some other mysterious, natural-born power.

I don’t know what’s that liquid filling the cups, maybe emperors like high class grape wine? But I haven’t drunk a sip of it.

“In this country, people who can’t use houjutsu can’t become shinzoku. Our first ancestor was born from the blood of gods, so anyone who can’t use the houjutsu of the gods and their followers, will be treated as not a real shinzoku and thus despised by everyone.”

Saralegui states mildly, as though it’s nothing to do with him.

“It doesn’t matter how high your status is, there are no exceptions, only the slaves in this country don’t have houryoku. The opposite is true too, a baby born in a slave family, as long as they have strong houryoku, can get the same treatment as a future citizen. And if they’re willing to serve the country, they may even be promoted to a full-fledged soldier or official—just like the translator standing over there.”

Seeing someone suddenly point his way, the translator almost jumps in surprise, even his eyebrow-shaped white moustache stands on end.

“Because he naturally has the power to translate foreign languages!”

“Eh! Then wouldn’t anyone strong in languages…”

I am irresistibly reminded of Anissina.

“As a young child I had practically no houryoku. When my mother found out about that, she wanted to wipe away my existence. Because she’s a woman with strict demands, if I continued staying in this country, I’d probably have to live with the slaves, huh. Oh, yeah, how is Mother these days?”

Upon hearing Saralegui’s question, Yelshi shakes his head, his hand held tightly in Saralegui’s. I can see their lips moving, but their voices don’t reach all the way here.

“Is that right, she’s not doing too well, huh… Then even if you tell here I came, she wouldn’t be able to tell what’s going on, huh? After all in her heart she’s long since gotten rid of her other son.”

“Aren’t you mother and son by birth!?”

I ask without thinking, how can there be such a cruel mother? Saralegui, though, replies noncommittally,

“We’re mother and son, that’s right.”

Just because of that superpower that doesn’t make a difference even if you don’t have it, she doesn’t acknowledge her own child. The society here is just too illogical, isn’t it? Although my mom always sighs, “You are your mother’s child, so you shouldn’t be so unpopular,” but there’s still a small difference in the tone and meaning.

“But Saralegui, why didn’t you mention to me that you were born in Seisakoku? Not only that, back when we were in Shou Shimaron, didn’t you say that be it your country or yourself, this is your first time contacting Seisakoku?”

This means that throughout that long journey before, he was always lying to me.

“Yuuri, I never lied to you. That’s because all that happened when I was young, so I don’t have any recollection of it myself.”

“Even so, you can’t have been completely out of contact these past thirteen years, right? Not only are you twins, one of you was the prince of your father’s country, and the other was the prince of your mother’s country, right? Even if there’s no diplomatic relation between the two countries, you should at least be able to communicate, right?”

“We did communicate after I ascended the throne, yeah.”

“During that time, Seisakoku was under lockdown, wasn’t it? I say, Sara, if you keep lying like this, careful you don’t become ‘the boy who cried dog’!”

Lord Weller knocks my stomach lightly, whispering,

“Sheep.”

“Eh, is it? Wasn’t it dog?”

“I like dogs! But I like elephants even more~”

“Oh, yeah, there’re elephants too. If you keep lying like this, your nose will grow longer, you know! When it does, then you’ll regret it!”

The men on both sides cover their faces with their hands exasperatedly.

“That’s something else altogether.”

“You guys sure get along well.”

Watching our comedy trio performance, Saralegui smiles lightly. That pair of brothers, though, be it in appearance or personality, they do have a slight difference. Compared to the open and active older brother, the younger brother is obviously much more reserved. Seeing Yelshi act so docile and honest, my ‘emperor image’ for the past sixteen years is practically shattering into pieces. But then that quiet little brother suddenly speaks up,

“Actually…”

“Eh? You understand our language?”

I’m taken completely by surprise, turns out Yelshi used the aforementioned translation houjutsu. But I feel he’s just an emperor who worked hard to learn foreign cultures. He raises his head to look at us, face to face, and his golden irises suddenly become darker.

“No, communication. Until two years ago. Until now still, lockdown.”

“It’s just as he said, Mother is very strict with her demands. Even if she misses her previous lover, she wouldn’t open relations between the two countries for something as trivial as love.”

Her personality is the complete opposite of our previous Queen, surely the two of them would never get along.

I touch the champagne glass in front of me lightly, its surface looks moist due to the condensation on the sides. The weather outside is cold and windy, but it’s way too warm inside the palace.

“Saralegui, I really can’t understand… Oh, right, then should I call your younger brother His Majesty the Emperor?”

“I think it doesn’t matter what you call him, right? After all he’s not familiar with the common language.”

That’s what he said, but to call someone I’m not close with by their name directly, I just can’t do that.

“Although we’re of the same age, the basic manners still have to be there. Speaking of which, I just don’t get it, why does Seisakoku have to stay under lockdown? Although your parents are from different countries, but they are still married, right? Isn’t this the best chance to open up your gates?”

After hearing his brother’s reply, Saralegui translates for us,

“It’s probably because they don’t need to import or export. This country has the capability to provide for itself, and they’re really happy with the way things are, too.”

“…But, changed.”

Yelshi seems to reply immediately after his older brother. Although it’s just a few simple words, his tone carries an unwavering determination.

“Now isn’t Mother’s era anymore.”

“That’s right, Yelshi, from now on it’s our era!”

The twin brothers hold each other’s shoulders lightly.

“From now on it’s your and my era! We don’t need Father or Mother to intervene, the era of Shou Shimaron and Seisakoku is upon us. Although there’s still Dai Shimaron behind us, but as long as you and I are as one, that era will come soon enough.”

The younger brother listens to his older brother’s words, nodding in approval.

Watching this scene in front of me, I get an odd feeling, as though I’m watching clones in a prank. Are they really separate beings? It couldn’t be that there’s a giant mirror in front of Saralegui, could it? I keep feeling as though one of them is a reflection, lacking depth and warmth, while the other is the real person…

“You see.”

The younger brother stands up suddenly, holding his brother’s hand as he walks across the room and opens the large window, revealing a balcony that allows us to enjoy the courtyard below. Our gazes follow his downwards, and see an armed platoon walk into the square.

Turns out they’re fully armed soldiers, more than one thousand or two thousands of them. The squad stretches past the wide center court, all the way out of the large gates. The silver armor and unsheathed weapons, under the last rays of the setting sun, sparkle bright red, looking just like the color of blood.

Seeing their Emperor appear together with Saralegui, the atmosphere on the scene immediately boils over, not only do they hammer their swords, spears, shields and other metallic weapons, they also start loudly praising their king.

With, Yelshi, between his fingers!

With, Yelshi, between his fingers!

I’m shocked by their earth-shaking and passion—

“S-sorry, no matter how I listen I still hear them yelling, ‘between his fingers’.”

No matter how touching it is, the effect is dampened by that kind of slogan.

“That’s what foreign languages are like.”

Josak, who’s long since used to foreign cultures, knocks me on the back and says,

“Thank goodness it just sounds like between his fingers, don’t you agree, Young Master?”

“That’s right, stuff like that normally can’t be said in front of people.”

Yelshi’s excited face is reddened, as he waves back at everyone indulgingly. Saralegui watches him wave from the side, basking in his glory, then turns around to look my way and says,

“Lord Weller, seems like the truths you must report to Dai Shimaron have expanded a little more.”

The Dai Shimaron ambassador who was called out, wordlessly waits for him to continue.

“You can tell Berard the Second: Shou Shimaron and Seisakoku join forces, amassing a huge military power. But first you must be able to go back and report that.”

With that he grabs the emperor’s arm, and forcefully pulls him into the room. The yells of ‘With, Yelshi, between his fingers!’ rage on, and don’t seem to be stopping any time soon.

“And then tell him: Shou Shimaron have negotiated with Shin Makoku, and signed a deal with the mazoku. But first you have to see if you can report that too, of course! Oh, yeah, Yuuri—”

“Waa! Mn, w-what’s the matter?”

Unconsciously I had gotten caught up in the atmosphere, so when I reply I stutter a little.

Saralegui continues smiling that smile I saw when we first met, and then he puts his hand on the table. Underneath his slender white fingers is a pale blue piece of paper.

“As the king of Shou Shimaron, I hope to sign a contract with His Majesty the 27th Maou of Shin Makoku.”

The two of them are even equal in height, and when they stand together, the two faces are at the exact same height. The older brother’s mouth curves into a brilliant smile, while the younger brother appraises me and the paper on the table seriously. Seeing their completely different attitudes, that’s when I really feel it deeply, ‘Ah~ The two of them really are separate individuals.’

Maybe it’s so he can read the tiny writing, Saralegui is wearing his glasses even indoors. As long as they’re covered with those pale-colored glasses, I can’t see the original color of his eyes.

“Shou Shimaron does not wish for the relationship with the mazoku to worsen. I hope that as long as we don’t interfere with each other’s territory, we can maintain a semi-permanent, peaceful relationship, do you agree?”

“That really is… more than I can hope for.”

If Saralegui’s sincere about it, that would be a miracle ball directly in the strike zone.

If he’s sincere…

“Then please sign here.”

Saralegui scrutinizes the tiny-worded document from top to bottom, his beautiful finger stopping on an empty box at the very bottom.

“Then I’ll start.”

A servant with no sense of presence respectfully offers the stationary. He acts as though he’s offering some great gift, but all that lies in his palms, held together, is a pen. Saralegui takes it and signals for him to leave, then grabs the glass on the table and smashes it, using the glass shard to cut open his pinky unhesitatingly.

“Your turn, Yuuri.”

“Alright, wait a…”

“This is too premature.”

Lord Weller suddenly interrupts. To the suzerain of Shou Shimaron—Dai Shimaron, if their vassal state were to sign a treaty on their own, it would definitely cause them a lot of trouble.

“Your Majesty Saralegui, if you don’t give the other party a chance to confirm the contents and think about it closely before forcing them to sign, it’s not impossible for the other party to declare the contract null in the future.”

“You sure are desperate, aren’t you, Lord Weller?”

The king of Shou Shimaron can’t help but laugh out loud, and then he hands the pen and document to me.

“Do you think that if you step out to stop him, Yuuri won’t sign this contract?”

Saralegui’s words have double meanings as he stops Lord Weller, after all he’s seen some certain things that happened on the ship. I, on the other hand, wanted to take the pen and sign, but maybe it’s because I’m too nervous, but I tried and failed twice in a row.

“No, you’re wrong, I won’t give up signing just because a certain someone stops me. But right now someone has stopped me, so I won’t sign before I understand the contents of the contract. W-wait a while for me, I’ll just look through the contract once. I’ll confirm the contents first, if there’s anything illogical in the contents, won’t it be a pain later?”

This isn’t a record card of a competition, neither is it the name list for tomorrow’s starting lineup, but it’s an important document regarding the fate of an entire country. That’s why I need to take my time and read it carefully, it doesn’t matter even if you want me to stay up all night.

But my gaze following the tiny words immediately stops.

“Your Majesty?”

I stare at Josak, his expression full of suspicion.

“What a bother… This is written in the Seisakoku language.”

In front of me is nothing but foreign words I’ve never seen before. If it was the common language we used, I can still pick out the words I understand. But these unique handwritten words that look like a montage of a bird flying presented in simple lines, to someone like me who doesn’t know translation maryoku, it might take a fairly long time to decipher. Save me, Miss Anissina!

“How can I possibly understand this? Why isn’t it written in our usual language, but written instead in a language only this land uses?”

“It's so that Seisakoku, as an impartial third party, can serve as a witness in the peace treaty between both countries. That's why I had the draft written in this country's language. I had it written like this so that Emperor Yelshi can serve as a witness. I didn’t think that you wouldn’t bring a translator with you, but after all it turned out like this because of a sudden twist in events, so it can’t be helped. If you’re okay with it, shall I recite it for you?”

“A-anyway please read the basic outline for me, later I will borrow a dictionary and slowly look it up.”

I raise my right hand to press against my temple, my headache’s getting worse and worse. Maybe my actions surprised him, because Saralegui chuckles lightly before reading out the basic outline of the document.

“It’s basically like this: Shou Shimaron and Shin Makoku will henceforth be equals, there will be no difference in status between the two…”

Just then there’s suddenly the ‘ker-dong’ of a chair falling. Everyone’s gazes gather on the young Emperor Yelshi, who’s standing there motionlessly, his originally white face now even more bloodless.

“It can’t be, right?”

“Yelshi?”

He grips his fist tightly, saying through shaking lips,

“It can’t be… Sara, didn’t you say the mazoku… were to obey… Shou Shimaron…”

“Yelshi, it’s not like that!”

“But…”

“Hey, Sara, what are you guys saying?”

Breaking free from his brother’s grasp, the younger brother bends over and reaches his hand out to snatch away the document. The glass is knocked aside by the impact, the liquid inside spilling all over the tablecloth, dampening the pale blue sides, and then rapidly spreading.

“But, isn’t this so that Sara’s country can be strongest power, that’s why… Ah!”

Before Yelshi’s hand can touch the document, he loses his balance and falls to his knees. He holds the left side of his face, raising his head to look at his older brother with a gaze of disbelief. Turns out Saralegui gave him a slap, but he immediately kneels down, putting his hand on his younger brother’s shaking shoulders, and another hand plastered to his younger brother’s swollen red cheek, caressing it lightly,

“Yelshi, I didn’t hit you because I hate you, please forgive your older brother, I was just scared by your pure heart. I’m so scared I’ll lose the younger brother I finally got back just like that.”

Saralegui keeps comforting his younger brother, who’s even more pure and straightforward than he is. Finally the younger brother seems to understand his older brother’s intentions, and nods lightly.

“I’m not, angry.”

“Thank goodness.”

The younger brother’s hands fall to his sides, and he doesn’t touch his face any more. Poor thing, surely the damage dealt to his heart, must be a lot of intense than the physical pain.

But now I finally understand the contents of the contract, so I must thank His Majesty the Emperor for that.

“Sara—”

“Please don’t hate me, Yelshi.”

Josak purposely clears his throat, as though he’s interrupting a conversation between lovers.

“I’ll clarify this beforehand.”

The spy says “After all letting outsiders see your brotherly conflict isn’t very nice” as an opening, and then explains a little about foreign culture.

“The two of you should be real grateful you’re shinzoku. If you were mazoku, this would have become a marriage proposal between twins—and then we’d be in a legendary complicated situation… What a bother, they don’t understand.”

The shinzoku brothers act all unconcerned about it. I lower my head, watching the way they protect each other and seem to get along so well, and, thinking that something’s really wrong about this, I ask in a serious tone,

“Saralegui, what on earth is written there?”

The surface of the paper I grab is rather smooth, it should count as high quality paper in this world, huh. Since it’s for a contract, of course they’d use high quality paper! But this piece of paper has been dyed purple from the right corner to the middle.

“Can’t you say it, Saralegui?”

The Shou Shimaron king’s signature has been stained beyond recognition.

“Yuuri, what he said just now was fake. Yelshi isn’t that familiar with diplomatic matters, he thought the draft we did beforehand was the final product.”

“Don’t kid with me!”

“It’s true, I’m not kidding, you know! This contract…”

“The truth is nothing you said about what’s in there is true, right!?”

The white fingers grab the table cloth forcefully. Those lips, as beautiful as flower petals, twist due to the change in his emotions. Those irises staring straight at me, because of the pale-colored glasses, their color can’t be determined. So I’ve been completely fooled by this honest-looking appearance, of someone who’s similar in age to me and yet cheerfully working his best to rule a large country. But now that I really think about, it was all probably his act.

I wasn’t betrayed, I was conned.

This is all my fault for being too stupid.

“I don’t know what kind of tricks you played, but you brothers are in it together to trick me into signing an equality treaty, so you guys can have all the benefits, right? Because you know that the king of Shin Makoku is a big, stupid rookie. That’s right, I’m as stupid as a rookie, but I never thought that you’d look down on me that much, and you still think I’ll be fooled by your simple tricks, I truly feel so bad I wanna cry!”

Just then there’s the sound of what might be Josak unsheathing his sword. That was the first threat.

“But, so sorry, Saralegui. Even if your plan succeeded, and I accidentally signed on that stained piece of paper, Shin Makoku won’t idiotically obey that contract. After I go back, there are many, more capable people who can take my place.”

“I don’t mind that, Yuuri.”

Saralegui raises his chin, his hands on his hips as he stands crookedly. There’s even an arrogant smile on his lips, the piteous look from before long gone. The one before me, is a cocky, unwavering, yet earthly king. Although he’s just a teenager, his smile now makes him feel old and cunning.

“Even if those ministers you’re so proud of go against the contract, I don’t mind, because then I can use this excuse to declare war. If Shin Makoku deny the contents of the contract and start a war themselves, even better. This way we won’t be criticized by the other countries, and we can start a war with our heads held high, so we’ll definitely win.”

“You…”

“I won’t be as daft as Father’s generation, signing that sort of half-assed contract. If it was me, I’d definitely beat the other side up until they can never rise again.”

My stomach starts heating up, until I feel like smoke will billow out from my ears. Not only am I angry at Saralegui, whose attitude has made a completely one-eighty, but I’m also angry at myself for being fooled by this guy’s flowery words. I naturally lower my voice,

“In your plan, how did you mean to deal with me?”

The boy whose parents are a king and queen respectively, says the scary words unhesitatingly.

“I planned for you to die, y’know!”

After saying that softly, he takes back the document in my hands. He reads it again, lamenting the failure of his plan. But he looks very happy.

“My plan was to let you die in a little accident after signing the contract—the seas around us are just like that torrent, so nothing’s impossible. But that was the initial plan, after sailing with you, I changed my mind. Because I found out that the Maou really is very interesting. So I planned to leak the false information of your unfortunate death, and then keep you here.”

He sighs in a tone of endless regret,

“I wanted to keep you as a pet.”

Although that sounds like his sincere thoughts, but he is after all the man made out of lies, so not a single word he says should be true.

“As long as Shin Makoku thinks you’re dead, things will go as I said, your ministers or the next king would probably immediately declare war, huh? Even if the truth leaks out, and they know you’re still alive, then you’ll still be the best hostage possible.”

“Too bad, Saralegui, but I won’t be killed or imprisoned!”

The Shou Shimaron king, immersed in his dastardly plot, reaches his hand for me lightly. The neatly manicured pale pink nails slide down my cheek to my chin.

“Yuuri, it’s not too late to turn back now. It doesn’t matter even if you know the plan, don’t you want to work together with me? All you have to do is sign on the contract, and I’ll let you go back, then you just have to convince those mazoku. This way you can maintain that peace you want, and can get a portion of the power. What do you think? Not a bad plan, right?”

“You want Shin Makoku to become a vassal state of Shou Shimaron?”

“That’s right. Not only Shou Shimaron, but even the Seisakoku that you see will eventually become mine. Do you know what power this country has? Manpower and houseki in abundance, so there’s no shortage of soldiers and weapons. And most of the people here are excellent houjutsu users; as for the slaves that usually can’t be used, I just have to train them to use the sword, then they should be able to work as disposable pawns on the battlefield. This country itself is an endless treasure trove, Yuuri.”

Kneeling on the ground, Yelshi’s expression suddenly brightens, maybe it’s because he put together the words he can understand, and misunderstood that Saralegui is praising his country, huh? If he can understand this completely, he would probably be very disappointed in his older brother’s words.

“Of course you can continue being your Maou, and you can be the king of the second largest country in the world, too. If you want, the Weia Islands that belong to Shou Shimaron, and that annoying Hyscliff land can all go to you. As long as our three countries work together, then even Dai Shimaron wouldn’t dare try anything. And then that would be our era—one where no one gets hurt, the era that belongs to us.”

“That isn’t our era!”

The bottom of my spine suddenly heats up, my ears whirring in rhythm with my accelerating heartbeat.

“Saralegui, that’s just your own delusions.”

I suddenly feel as though the friendship I felt from this man, is already a thing of the distant past. And all of it was a lie, there was never any friendship between us.

“Too bad, but usually it’s the Maou who makes that offer to the hero. The pattern is the same in every game. Do you know why?”

I knock Saralegui's finger off my chin.

"Because it's fun that way."

In the back I hear the "clink" sound of the handle hitting the sheath again. That was the second threat.

“Saralegui, your plan isn’t fun in the slightest, it’s too self-centered. I want to quit, I can’t go along with Shou Shimaron's game.”

The threat this time finally forces Sara to snap his fingers for the servants and soldiers awaiting orders in the room. Including those completely unarmed, there are at most less than twenty of them. With these numbers alone they shouldn’t be Josak’s match—as long as Lord Weller doesn’t fight as our enemy. Also, as long as I don’t lose control and go on a rampage like a bawling baby out of rage.

That’s the most dangerous thing. There’s a special kind of pain near my lower abdomen. Before it rushes up my spine and controls my brain, I must find a way to suppress it with my own power—take deep breaths, try to break apart the gathering power.

“I don’t think that these few people can take you down either. Besides, I even let that exceptionally strong guard of yours carry a weapon and attend, so of course I made other preparations beforehand!”

The boy king turns around and gives his kneeling little brother the warmest smile, holding out a hand to help him to his feet, and calls his name in a gentle voice.

“Yelshi.”

And then he gives an order in the language we don’t understand.

“This child is an excellent houjutsu user, and it’s because he has houryoku, that he was chosen as Mother’s heir. He could use the houjutsu to control houseki however he liked even when he was just an infant.”

Just then, there’s an intense pain in my right pinky, as though it’s about to be bent in half at the roots.

“What…”

“Your Majesty!?”

I hear Josak and Conrad yelling my name, as I slump into kneeling on the ground. Completely unable to stand, I carefully look between the fingers I’m gripping tightly, only to see the pale red ring I’m wearing on my right pinky emit a faint light, while the pain it brings is even more intense than its glow.

The screams I can’t suppress leak out through my tightly clenched teeth.

“Your Majesty! Take it off, quickly!”

I grip my pinky and ring finger tightly, bending my back to hold the part the hurts. The insides of my eyeballs keep heating up in their
sockets, the tears even flying out, and then someone says in my ear, “It’ll be easier if you yell”, but I can’t tell anymore if it was Conrad or Josak.

“Have you forgotten, Yuuri? We’re friends, so we exchanged the ring and necklace. I took my long-estranged mother’s houseki to trade with your maseki. That’s the ring my beloved mother, who despised me and pretended I didn’t exist, left for me, you know! No matter how you look at it, I still think this maseki of yours is more valuable.”

Saralegui takes the blue maseki down from around his neck, solemnly untangling the hair that wrapped around it, and then dangles it at eye-level,

“So pretty. There’s even something like a crest engraved on it.”

My tears drip in front of my knees.

“But I don’t need it anymore.”

He’s just like a kid who got tired of a toy, throwing the maseki and the stone away, All I see is the maseki reflecting the newly-risen moonlight, sparkling once before falling out the window. And I can only watch it disappear in despair, only watch as that maseki that I kept hanging in front of my chest for so long disappear from sight.

“I advise you to take that ring as soon as possible, too! Don’t worry about me.”

“…How do I… remove…”

No matter how I pull and tug at it, that coral-like ring just won’t budge from my pinky. The skin around it has already been tugged at until the skin broke, bleeding. Saralegui, who knew this would happen, laughs,

“Easy, just chop off your finger with it.”

Right then I want to do just that, so my hand reaches for Conrad’s sword. But he grabs me immediately, forcing me to give up that notion.

“You can’t!”

There’s no time to listen to him, so I quickly turn around, and reach my hand out for Josak’s short sword, right then he has his arm around my back. But he doesn’t stop me, instead roaring at Saralegui,

“Is it that emperor’s doing? Is that guy doing something to the stone!?”

Yelshi, obeying his brother’s orders, approaches me unconcernedly, looking at my expression of pain with one of disbelief. He pushes his hair behind his ear in the same movement as Saralegui’s, touching my shoulder with his fingertip, seemingly shocked. Although my pain doesn’t stop increasing, I still can’t help but respect the fact that even the color of their fingernails is the same.

I get up with a speed so fast even I can’t believe it, pulling out the sword at Josak’s waist, pointing the tip at Yelshi’s throat. But even in the face of this situation, he still has a clueless expression on his face, like a newborn lamb who doesn’t know what fear is.

“Yuuri, do you want to kill me? You, who was always so gentle, want to kill him?”

Hearing Saralegui’s words, the few Seisakoku soldiers pull out their swords and get into their stances in unison. It’s okay whatever they want to do, after all Conrad will help me deal with them.

“Your Majesty, allow me.”

“N-no… We can’t.”

I shake my head continuously. But not at Josak, at my own inner thoughts. He is after all the emperor of this country, if anything happens to him, then what!?

“Stop!”

As I yell that out loud, I throw away the sword as well. Only killing him will get me out of this torture, and to break free from that temptation, I need an immense effort. The clanging of metal rings out in the tense atmosphere.

“Don’t… kill him…”

I order myself again, but without someone to support me and my feet stumbling over each other, I fall back a few steps.

“Your Majesty!”

There isn’t a wall behind me, and the balcony railing I finally touch is round and thick, so my fingers, scalding hot with pain, can’t get a grip on them at all. In that second I could still wonder how many stories this is, but before I get an answer, my entire body is already flying mid-air.

It won’t hurt anymore.

All that’s left is to fall, just like that time.

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MaruMA:Volume12:Prologue

2015-05-22T16:48:39Z

Alaxxis Sade:

[[image:MaruManovel12Cover.jpg|400px|center]]

Ah~~ My little brother, I cry for you.

Thou shalt not die<ref>A controversial wartime poem by Yosano Akiko addressed to her younger brother, expressing anti-war sentiments.</ref>… No, I’m not like our old man, I’m not the type of pacifist that would rather nothing happens.

When I take over as governor, I’ll abolish progressive taxes that change according to your earnings, and hold the New World Expo R<ref>The governor of Tokyo decided to cancel the World Expo in 1995.</ref>, even if I won’t get the Akutagawa Prize or the Naoki Prize.The script for “New Soap Bubble Holiday HG”<ref>A game show that aired from 1961 to 1972 every Sunday from 6pm to 7pm.</ref> must also always be rewritten.

But now isn’t the time to think about how I’m going to handle politics ten years later, because the brother who’s every bit important as my reputation has actually gone missing in an alternate world! Upon closer interrogation, I found out that that’s a scary place where skeletons fly in the sky and have their own consciousness! How can I possibly leave precious Yuu-chan in that Skeleton Island… No, that scary world!

Come to think of it, growing up, rescuing my little brother has always been my duty. I still remember that time when we were young, Yuu-chan forgot to put down the toilet seat before sitting down. While he was stuck and bawling his eyes out, the one to save him wasn’t Mom or Dad, but me! Right now, my baby brother must be in a foreign land, crying out in fear, “Nii-chan—Nii-chan--!”

Wait for me, Yuu-chan! Nii-chan will definitely save you! I’ll cross the Niagara Falls, now, your big brother wants to Be with You<ref>Hey, this is pretty recent! A 2004 movie, literally, ‘Now, I want to see you’. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Be_with_You_(film)</ref>.

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| Forward to [[MaruMA:Volume12:Chapter_1|Chapter 1]]
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==References ==
<references/>

MaruMA:Volume12:Prologue

2015-05-22T16:40:06Z

Alaxxis Sade:

[[image:MaruManovel12Cover.jpg|400px|center]]

Ah~~ My little brother, I cry for you.

Thou shalt not die(1)… No, I’m not like our old man, I’m not the type of pacifist that would rather nothing happens.

When I take over as governor, I’ll abolish progressive taxes that change according to your earnings, and hold the New World Expo R(2), even if I won’t get the Akutagawa Prize or the Naoki Prize.The script for “New Soap Bubble Holiday HG” must also always be rewritten.

But now isn’t the time to think about how I’m going to handle politics ten years later, because the brother who’s every bit important as my reputation has actually gone missing in an alternate world! Upon closer interrogation, I found out that that’s a scary place where skeletons fly in the sky and have their own consciousness! How can I possibly leave precious Yuu-chan in that Skeleton Island… No, that scary world!

Come to think of it, growing up, rescuing my little brother has always been my duty. I still remember that time when we were young, Yuu-chan forgot to put down the toilet seat before sitting down. While he was stuck and bawling his eyes, the one to save him wasn’t Mom or Dad, but me! Right now, my baby brother must be in a foreign land, crying out in fear, “Nii-chan—Nii-chan--!”

Wait for me, Yuu-chan! Nii-chan will definitely save you! I’ll cross the Niagara Falls, now, your big brother wants to Be with You.

1. A controversial wartime poem by Yosano Akiko addressed to her younger brother, expressing anti-war sentiments.

2. The governor of Tokyo decided to cancel the World Expo in 1995.

3. A game show that aired from 1961 to 1972 every Sunday from 6pm to 7pm.

4. Hey, this is pretty recent! A 2004 movie, literally, ‘Now, I want to see you’. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Be_with_You_(film))

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| Forward to [[MaruMA:Volume12:Chapter_1|Chapter 1]]
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==References ==
<references/>

MaruMA:Volume12:Chapter 1

2015-05-22T03:23:32Z

Alaxxis Sade: Created page with "===Chapter 1=== [T/N: Words in full caps were originally in English. Sorry to make them sound like they're yelling all the time orz] “And I thought this big brother here ..."

===Chapter 1===

[T/N: Words in full caps were originally in English. Sorry to make them sound like they're yelling all the time orz]

“And I thought this big brother here is just a bodyguard…”

The woman called Hazel Graces is narrowing her hazel eyes, just like her name.

“…How unexpected, why would you call me using that name?”

She shakes her filthy white hair, throwing dry fuel into the roaring flames. Judging from the emanating stench, that should be some sort of animal droppings, but it’s best not to confirm anything.

“What on earth are you people? I just heard that a king came from a faraway mazoku country, who’d have thought that people like you who seem to be the Maou and his party look so normal, and can speak a language that doesn’t exist in this world. Even more unexpected is that one of the bodyguards actually knows the name I rarely use!”

A language that doesn’t exist?

I instinctively move my hand to my throat, asking no one in particular,

“…Just now, what language was I speaking…”

The old lady scrutinizes Conrad and me with a look of disbelief.

“It’s English, you know. It’s all because I accidentally said ‘COMEON. Your English is very authentic, just that you have a unique pronunciation, so I can’t place your accent. I think it sounds a lot like Boston or Trenton, but it’s also a lot like a strange rabbit with a watch, huh.”

“You said English!? How can that be! Old lady… No, sorry, MISS… No, it’s MiSS Venera, right? I know I CAN’T SPEAK ENGLISH!’

Crap, the more conscious I am, the more I’ll see the stiff English from the textbooks. Because my junior high English teacher couldn’t speak English, so if I can speak fluent English, then that would really be a miracle. For all you know I could even say ‘This IS APPLE’ and not be aware of it.

The old lady puts her wrinkly hands on her hips, and brushes away our confusion with a hearty laugh.

“What a polite young man, didn’t I say this before? There’s no need to be so courteous. No matter how tough I am, I was already over sixty
years old when I came to this country, if I still look like a young lady, then that’d be too weird.”

From the way she’s talking she shouldn’t be a shinzoku born on this land, but someone who came over here from elsewhere. Judging from the color of her eyes, it is rather hard to say she’s a local shinzoku.

“But little buddy, you sure have an interesting way of talking! Mixing a toddler’s stiff single words, and the everyday talk of young people, it’s just like listening to Mother Goose and a soap opera at the same time!”

“Actually the things you’re saying are equally intriguing.”

The previously silent Lord Weller finally speaks up, his voice unexpectedly solemn.

“Bodyguards, Mother Goose, soap operas, these are all words this place doesn’t have. Hazel, I know where you’re from. But I hope you can tell me, how you got to be here.”

“The person who asked first was me, you know!”

She raises her chin slightly, looking down at Conrad. Underneath the firelight her red-brown eyes sparkle behind the completely whitened fringe. Although she’s petite, her solemn tone emanates the aura of a challenge.

“So I am Hazel Graves, sure, but I never used that name in Seisakoku. Because slaves don’t have names. But how would you foreign visitors know it? Even if Yelshi sent you guys to lure me out, you shouldn’t know, right?”

The fire lightens up the little hut, the bracken diminishing as it burns and bursts apart, sparks and crackles leaping in unison.

“Who the hell are you guys? You shouldn’t just be this little buddy’s guards, right?”

“Don’t simply point at him!”

When Hazel points at me with her pointer finger, the previously wordless Josak suddenly says this short and simple line. Although he’s speaking in the common language that’s unknown in Seisakoku, we can still here the threat in his tone. She immediately puts her hand down, and stares at Josak, who’s making himself very clearly heard.

“I don’t know what relationship you have with Lord Weller, but I can’t tolerate a slave being so rude to our Majesty!”

“Josak! This person saved us. Don’t make it sound so bad!”

The unhappy spy explains to me, who’s scolding him,

“But it’s not like I’m wrong, Young Master. Even if she helped us escape, she’s still just an old lady who pulls the manure cart, y’know. Even if you don’t want her to kneel down and lick your feet, isn't it too rude of her to point at Your Majesty with her finger?”

A bit of Gurrier’s personality comes through in those words.

Hazel Graves, on the other hand, smiles rather interestedly and talks with Lord Weller, with whom she can communicate. Looks she can tell from Josak’s attitude alone that he’s mad.

“He’s mad now, huh.”

“He’s angry because his master was insulted. Although His Majesty is an open-minded monarch, and doesn’t harp on status, but to a minister who’s sworn loyalty to the king, it’s another matter altogether.”

Listening to this spine-tickling explanation, I feel so awkward I don’t even know where to direct my gaze. When I look at the line where the rotting wooden walls meet the ceiling, Hazel uses a tone completely different from before to say,

“Little buddy, so you really are His Majesty the Maou, then? Even if you’re dressed like peasants, you really are the bona fide Shin Makoku emissary? Crap, then it looks like I can’t call you little buddy anymore.”

She suddenly falls to one knee, holding up my right hand like a knight.

“Your Majesty.”

“Waa! W-wait a sec!”

Seeing the way she respectfully bows to me, I hastily crouch down with her. The two of us are like young girls in prayer.

“Please forgive my previous rudeness.”

“Didn’t I say this before--- you acting like this makes me feel awkward! I’m the worst at dealing with this sort of thing—it’s up to you if you want to call me Your Majesty or Dai Maou or Unstamped(T/N:?!) Yuuri, but I’m begging you, don’t act all careful around me like you’re touching a bump where you hit yourself!”

Hazel curves the corners of her mouth lightly, smiling in a fearless way that’s completely unlike an old lady. She changes to shaking my hand, gripping my right hand forcefully as she says,

“Please take care of me, Your Majesty. After hiding in the graves for so long, it’s my first time meeting a current king, heh.”

“Hiding in the graves… Grandma Hazel, are you a grave robber?”

“If I really was a grave robber, I’d want to leave more valuables for my descendants!”

She tsks her tongue with a look of regret, and then covers her mouth jokingly. Slowly she stands up, asking me what these two young men’s names are.

“So you’re Lord Weller and Gurrier. How exciting, I haven’t known any man with a name for a long time. But in the middle of your discussions, there seems to have been some conflicts. Even if you can’t save yourselves, there will be helpers appearing in the unlikeliest places. Seems like you were set up by Yelshi… the Emperor, it’s not wrong for me to assume that?”

“NO!”

The “NO” I yell is surprisingly loud, taking even me by surprise. Turn my head to the side, thinking back to the young emperor of Seiakoku sitting on the throne, and the older twin brother leaning on him. Although it only happened a few hours ago, but just thinking about it, gives my brain an intense feeling of numbness.

“We weren’t set up by Yelshi. I… We were fooled by Saralegui… that is, Yelshi’s older brother, Saralegui. Who’d have thought they were brothers.”

I never thought that Saralegui, who was so friendly to me, was lying to me from the start.

“I took half a year to realize that most shinzoku are twins, too. Such as, ‘why did the guy I just saw appear here, maybe he’s a master sprinter’. Besides, no one could have guessed, that the king of Shou Shimaron and the Emperor here would be twins!

Hazel nods in sympathy, continuing to ask,

“But why would the Maou’s party only bring so few people all the way to Seisakoku? Could I have gotten it wrong? I heard that the people at Dejima and the palace are almost all Shou Shimaron men, and there are only two, three mazoku who disembarked.”

“Before discussing that, please verify your identity.”

Lord Weller suddenly interrupts our conversation. He’s right, it’s great to have someone who can think calmly by my side.

“I have countless questions regarding Hazel Graves. But since you have another name, then we also have a lot of questions to ask ‘Venera’.”

“That’s right, Venera, Miss Venera! This Mrs… Mn—Ma’am, since you’re Venera, that means the one we’re looking for is you. Please tell me, do you know two girls called Jason and Freddy? Where are they now? I received the letter they wrote to me.”

Logically they should have returned to the hometown they left when they were young, and have missed dearly, living their days happily in Seisakoku. But from the contents of the letter I received, there isn’t a single word with anything to do with ‘happy’. Instead, after needless suffering, the only words we can understand are these—

Venera, hope, save.

“Please tell me, what kind of situation am I supposed to save you from? What’s happened to those children!? Grandma Hazel please tell me,
since you call yourself Venera…”

Just as I grab Hazel’s arm, there are barks in the distance—looks like our pursuers have discovered this place.

“We still have things to discuss, right?”

Without waiting for our reply, Hazel turns around and walks into the hut, reaching out her hand to open a door.

“If so, let’s have a change of location.”

She grabs the handle, and wooden shards rain down. Once she opens this door that seems like it’ll fall apart once you apply force to it, a little room around a foot in square area appears before us.

I really don’t know if I should call it a little room, or a closet you can’t go in, but there’s a square manmade hole in the center…

“Is it a toilet?”

Hazel takes away a few of the floorboards.

“A-and it’s a cesspit…”

Otherwise known as the ‘ker-ploomp’ toilet. I’ve only seen these at my grandfather’s house in the countryside, and that’s not even in use anymore.

“Relax, nothing to be worried about. This place hasn’t been used as a toilet. Get in there!”

Holding the wooden planks in one arm, she waves at us to go over. Conrad squirms inside first, while Josak pushes my arm from behind—because the sound of dogs is rapidly approaching.

There’s a thin ladder as narrow as the opening underneath the hole. If it was an adult with wider
shoulders, they might knock into the walls on both sides.

“Using the toilet for transport brings back not-too-nice memories… Pardon me for asking, but has this place really never been used as a toilet?”

Hazel, putting the planks back in place, replies without turning back,

“Only very few soldiers who get lost and wander in here, mistake it for a toilet and relieve themselves a little.”

In that moment, I don’t know if I should translate that line for the broad-shouldered spy.

MaruMA:Volume11:Chapter 7

2015-05-22T03:17:28Z

Alaxxis Sade: Created page with "===Chapter 7=== Their only difference is the length of their hair and their clothes. Looking at the brothers sitting side by side, I think: If they wore the same clothes, ..."

===Chapter 7===

Their only difference is the length of their hair and their clothes.

Looking at the brothers sitting side by side, I think: If they wore the same clothes, it’d be impossible to tell them apart, wouldn’t it? If I had to differentiate between one and the other, I’d say the younger brother Yelshi is a bit like an emotionless doll, but that’s still within an acceptable margin of error. If he stepped down from the throne, he would surely have emotions as well.

“I was born in this country.”

Saralegui smiles, holding the hand of the brother he hadn’t seen for thirteen years. Yelshi just looks at him wordlessly, though the two of them seem to be able to communicate without words.

“Back then, Father was leading the Shou Shimaron army, and got injured in the sea nearby, staying in this country to heal his wounds. That was when he and Mother fell in love.”

Saralegui, on the other hand, looks a little shy talking about his own mother’s love life. After all that’s happened, I’m even more surprised at that, who knew he would have that sort of emotion too!

“During that time, my uncle ruled Shou Shimaron. But when we turned four, as the older brother I had practically no houryoku at all, so I had no choice but to leave the country. You guys might not know this, but quite a few shinzoku children have powerful houryoku. And most would show the symptoms when they were really young. You may not believe this…”

Saralegui laughs as he shrugs, and we, sitting on the other end of the wide table, can only wait for him to continue.

“But children with houryoku, even when they sleep, the bed will float in the air with them.”

“Sure sounds like something out of a horror movie.”

“For all I know, mazoku children have similar experiences. Yuuri, what about you?”

The two people without any maryoku beside me look unconcerned. But when it comes to mazoku who could cause interesting phenomena like that, I can only think of Miss Anissina. But if it was Lady Cherie, it might be something like waking up in the morning, to find a handsome hottie sleeping beside her for some unknown reason, or a ma-powered experience like that.

“But, you can’t leave Seisakoku just because you don’t have houryoku, right? Sure, it’s convenient to have houryoku, but even if you don’t it won’t affect your daily life, will it?”

“In this country…”

Saralegui raises the glass in front of him to moisten his throat. The skin on his neck is so white it makes me suspect if I can see the grape-colored drink through it. If my mom were to describe it, it’d be like the seaweed in our breakfast miso soup… This simile has been used too many times.

Yelshi finishes the liquid in his cup at the same time. Twins are really impressive. I feel that even without houryoku, they should have some other mysterious, natural-born power.

I don’t know what’s that liquid filling the cups, maybe emperors like high class grape wine? But I haven’t drunk a sip of it.

“In this country, people who can’t use houjutsu can’t become shinzoku. Our first ancestor was born from the blood of gods, so anyone who can’t use the houjutsu of the gods and their followers, will be treated as not a real shinzoku and thus despised by everyone.”

Saralegui states mildly, as though it’s nothing to do with him.

“It doesn’t matter how high your status is, there are no exceptions, only the slaves in this country don’t have houryoku. The opposite is true too, a baby born in a slave family, as long as they have strong houryoku, can get the same treatment as a future citizen. And if they’re willing to serve the country, they may even be promoted to a full-fledged soldier or official—just like the translator standing over there.”

Seeing someone suddenly point his way, the translator almost jumps in surprise, even his eyebrow-shaped white moustache stands on end.

“Because he naturally has the power to translate foreign languages!”

“Eh! Then wouldn’t anyone strong in languages…”

I am irresistibly reminded of Anissina.

“As a young child I had practically no houryoku. When my mother found out about that, she wanted to wipe away my existence. Because she’s a woman with strict demands, if I continued staying in this country, I’d probably have to live with the slaves, huh. Oh, yeah, how is Mother these days?”

Upon hearing Saralegui’s question, Yelshi shakes his head, his hand held tightly in Saralegui’s. I can see their lips moving, but their voices don’t reach all the way here.

“Is that right, she’s not doing too well, huh… Then even if you tell here I came, she wouldn’t be able to tell what’s going on, huh? After all in her heart she’s long since gotten rid of her other son.”

“Aren’t you mother and son by birth!?”

I ask without thinking, how can there be such a cruel mother? Saralegui, though, replies noncommittally,

“We’re mother and son, that’s right.”

Just because of that superpower that doesn’t make a difference even if you don’t have it, she doesn’t acknowledge her own child. The society here is just too illogical, isn’t it? Although my mom always sighs, “You are your mother’s child, so you shouldn’t be so unpopular,” but there’s still a small difference in the tone and meaning.

“But Saralegui, why didn’t you mention to me that you were born in Seisakoku? Not only that, back when we were in Shou Shimaron, didn’t you say that be it your country or yourself, this is your first time contacting Seisakoku?”

This means that throughout that long journey before, he was always lying to me.

“Yuuri, I never lied to you. That’s because all that happened when I was young, so I don’t have any recollection of it myself.”

“Even so, you can’t have been completely out of contact these past thirteen years, right? Not only are you twins, one of you was the prince of your father’s country, and the other was the prince of your mother’s country, right? Even if there’s no diplomatic relation between the two countries, you should at least be able to communicate, right?”

“We did communicate after I ascended the throne, yeah.”

“During that time, Seisakoku was under lockdown, wasn’t it? I say, Sara, if you keep lying like this, careful you don’t become ‘the boy who cried dog’!”

Lord Weller knocks my stomach lightly, whispering,

“Sheep.”

“Eh, is it? Wasn’t it dog?”

“I like dogs! But I like elephants even more~”

“Oh, yeah, there’re elephants too. If you keep lying like this, your nose will grow longer, you know! When it does, then you’ll regret it!”

The men on both sides cover their faces with their hands exasperatedly.

“That’s something else altogether.”

“You guys sure get along well.”

Watching our comedy trio performance, Saralegui smiles lightly. That pair of brothers, though, be it in appearance or personality, they do have a slight difference. Compared to the open and active older brother, the younger brother is obviously much more reserved. Seeing Yelshi act so docile and honest, my ‘emperor image’ for the past sixteen years is practically shattering into pieces. But then that quiet little brother suddenly speaks up,

“Actually…”

“Eh? You understand our language?”

I’m taken completely by surprise, turns out Yelshi used the aforementioned translation houjutsu. But I feel he’s just an emperor who worked hard to learn foreign cultures. He raises his head to look at us, face to face, and his golden irises suddenly become darker.

“No, communication. Until two years ago. Until now still, lockdown.”

“It’s just as he said, Mother is very strict with her demands. Even if she misses her previous lover, she wouldn’t open relations between the two countries for something as trivial as love.”

Her personality is the complete opposite of our previous Queen, surely the two of them would never get along.

I touch the champagne glass in front of me lightly, its surface looks moist due to the condensation on the sides. The weather outside is cold and windy, but it’s way too warm inside the palace.

“Saralegui, I really can’t understand… Oh, right, then should I call your younger brother His Majesty the Emperor?”

“I think it doesn’t matter what you call him, right? After all he’s not familiar with the common language.”

That’s what he said, but to call someone I’m not close with by their name directly, I just can’t do that.

“Although we’re of the same age, the basic manners still have to be there. Speaking of which, I just don’t get it, why does Seisakoku have to stay under lockdown? Although your parents are from different countries, but they are still married, right? Isn’t this the best chance to open up your gates?”

After hearing his brother’s reply, Saralegui translates for us,

“It’s probably because they don’t need to import or export. This country has the capability to provide for itself, and they’re really happy with the way things are, too.”

“…But, changed.”

Yelshi seems to reply immediately after his older brother. Although it’s just a few simple words, his tone carries an unwavering determination.

“Now isn’t Mother’s era anymore.”

“That’s right, Yelshi, from now on it’s our era!”

The twin brothers hold each other’s shoulders lightly.

“From now on it’s your and my era! We don’t need Father or Mother to intervene, the era of Shou Shimaron and Seisakoku is upon us. Although there’s still Dai Shimaron behind us, but as long as you and I are as one, that era will come soon enough.”

The younger brother listens to his older brother’s words, nodding in approval.

Watching this scene in front of me, I get an odd feeling, as though I’m watching clones in a prank. Are they really separate beings? It couldn’t be that there’s a giant mirror in front of Saralegui, could it? I keep feeling as though one of them is a reflection, lacking depth and warmth, while the other is the real person…

“You see.”

The younger brother stands up suddenly, holding his brother’s hand as he walks across the room and opens the large window, revealing a balcony that allows us to enjoy the courtyard below. Our gazes follow his downwards, and see an armed platoon walk into the square.

Turns out they’re fully armed soldiers, more than one thousand or two thousands of them. The squad stretches past the wide center court, all the way out of the large gates. The silver armor and unsheathed weapons, under the last rays of the setting sun, sparkle bright red, looking just like the color of blood.

Seeing their Emperor appear together with Saralegui, the atmosphere on the scene immediately boils over, not only do they hammer their swords, spears, shields and other metallic weapons, they also start loudly praising their king.

With, Yelshi, between his fingers!

With, Yelshi, between his fingers!

I’m shocked by their earth-shaking and passion—

“S-sorry, no matter how I listen I still hear them yelling, ‘between his fingers’.”

No matter how touching it is, the effect is dampened by that kind of slogan.

“That’s what foreign languages are like.”

Josak, who’s long since used to foreign cultures, knocks me on the back and says,

“Thank goodness it just sounds like between his fingers, don’t you agree, Young Master?”

“That’s right, stuff like that normally can’t be said in front of people.”

Yelshi’s excited face is reddened, as he waves back at everyone indulgingly. Saralegui watches him wave from the side, basking in his glory, then turns around to look my way and says,

“Lord Weller, seems like the truths you must report to Dai Shimaron have expanded a little more.”

The Dai Shimaron ambassador who was called out, wordlessly waits for him to continue.

“You can tell Berard the Second: Shou Shimaron and Seisakoku join forces, amassing a huge military power. But first you must be able to go back and report that.”

With that he grabs the emperor’s arm, and forcefully pulls him into the room. The yells of ‘With, Yelshi, between his fingers!’ rage on, and don’t seem to be stopping any time soon.

“And then tell him: Shou Shimaron have negotiated with Shin Makoku, and signed a deal with the mazoku. But first you have to see if you can report that too, of course! Oh, yeah, Yuuri—”

“Waa! Mn, w-what’s the matter?”

Unconsciously I had gotten caught up in the atmosphere, so when I reply I stutter a little.

Saralegui continues smiling that smile I saw when we first met, and then he puts his hand on the table. Underneath his slender white fingers is a pale blue piece of paper.

“As the king of Shou Shimaron, I hope to sign a contract with His Majesty the 27th Maou of Shin Makoku.”

The two of them are even equal in height, and when they stand together, the two faces are at the exact same height. The older brother’s mouth curves into a brilliant smile, while the younger brother appraises me and the paper on the table seriously. Seeing their completely different attitudes, that’s when I really feel it deeply, ‘Ah~ The two of them really are separate individuals.’

Maybe it’s so he can read the tiny writing, Saralegui is wearing his glasses even indoors. As long as they’re covered with those pale-colored glasses, I can’t see the original color of his eyes.

“Shou Shimaron does not wish for the relationship with the mazoku to worsen. I hope that as long as we don’t interfere with each other’s territory, we can maintain a semi-permanent, peaceful relationship, do you agree?”

“That really is… more than I can hope for.”

If Saralegui’s sincere about it, that would be a miracle ball directly in the strike zone.

If he’s sincere…

“Then please sign here.”

Saralegui scrutinizes the tiny-worded document from top to bottom, his beautiful finger stopping on an empty box at the very bottom.

“Then I’ll start.”

A servant with no sense of presence respectfully offers the stationary. He acts as though he’s offering some great gift, but all that lies in his palms, held together, is a pen. Saralegui takes it and signals for him to leave, then grabs the glass on the table and smashes it, using the glass shard to cut open his pinky unhesitatingly.

“Your turn, Yuuri.”

“Alright, wait a…”

“This is too premature.”

Lord Weller suddenly interrupts. To the suzerain of Shou Shimaron—Dai Shimaron, if their vassal state were to sign a treaty on their own, it would definitely cause them a lot of trouble.

“Your Majesty Saralegui, if you don’t give the other party a chance to confirm the contents and think about it closely before forcing them to sign, it’s not impossible for the other party to declare the contract null in the future.”

“You sure are desperate, aren’t you, Lord Weller?”

The king of Shou Shimaron can’t help but laugh out loud, and then he hands the pen and document to me.

“Do you think that if you step out to stop him, Yuuri won’t sign this contract?”

Saralegui’s words have double meanings as he stops Lord Weller, after all he’s seen some certain things that happened on the ship. I, on the other hand, wanted to take the pen and sign, but maybe it’s because I’m too nervous, but I tried and failed twice in a row.

“No, you’re wrong, I won’t give up signing just because a certain someone stops me. But right now someone has stopped me, so I won’t sign before I understand the contents of the contract. W-wait a while for me, I’ll just look through the contract once. I’ll confirm the contents first, if there’s anything illogical in the contents, won’t it be a pain later?”

This isn’t a record card of a competition, neither is it the name list for tomorrow’s starting lineup, but it’s an important document regarding the fate of an entire country. That’s why I need to take my time and read it carefully, it doesn’t matter even if you want me to stay up all night.

But my gaze following the tiny words immediately stops.

“Your Majesty?”

I stare at Josak, his expression full of suspicion.

“What a bother… This is written in the Seisakoku language.”

In front of me is nothing but foreign words I’ve never seen before. If it was the common language we used, I can still pick out the words I understand. But these unique handwritten words that look like a montage of a bird flying presented in simple lines, to someone like me who doesn’t know translation maryoku, it might take a fairly long time to decipher. Save me, Miss Anissina!

“How can I possibly understand this? Why isn’t it written in our usual language, but written instead in a language only this land uses?”

“It's so that Seisakoku, as an impartial third party, can serve as a witness in the peace treaty between both countries. That's why I had the draft written in this country's language. I had it written like this so that Emperor Yelshi can serve as a witness. I didn’t think that you wouldn’t bring a translator with you, but after all it turned out like this because of a sudden twist in events, so it can’t be helped. If you’re okay with it, shall I recite it for you?”

“A-anyway please read the basic outline for me, later I will borrow a dictionary and slowly look it up.”

I raise my right hand to press against my temple, my headache’s getting worse and worse. Maybe my actions surprised him, because Saralegui chuckles lightly before reading out the basic outline of the document.

“It’s basically like this: Shou Shimaron and Shin Makoku will henceforth be equals, there will be no difference in status between the two…”

Just then there’s suddenly the ‘ker-dong’ of a chair falling. Everyone’s gazes gather on the young Emperor Yelshi, who’s standing there motionlessly, his originally white face now even more bloodless.

“It can’t be, right?”

“Yelshi?”

He grips his fist tightly, saying through shaking lips,

“It can’t be… Sara, didn’t you say the mazoku… were to obey… Shou Shimaron…”

“Yelshi, it’s not like that!”

“But…”

“Hey, Sara, what are you guys saying?”

Breaking free from his brother’s grasp, the younger brother bends over and reaches his hand out to snatch away the document. The glass is knocked aside by the impact, the liquid inside spilling all over the tablecloth, dampening the pale blue sides, and then rapidly spreading.

“But, isn’t this so that Sara’s country can be strongest power, that’s why… Ah!”

Before Yelshi’s hand can touch the document, he loses his balance and falls to his knees. He holds the left side of his face, raising his head to look at his older brother with a gaze of disbelief. Turns out Saralegui gave him a slap, but he immediately kneels down, putting his hand on his younger brother’s shaking shoulders, and another hand plastered to his younger brother’s swollen red cheek, caressing it lightly,

“Yelshi, I didn’t hit you because I hate you, please forgive your older brother, I was just scared by your pure heart. I’m so scared I’ll lose the younger brother I finally got back just like that.”

Saralegui keeps comforting his younger brother, who’s even more pure and straightforward than he is. Finally the younger brother seems to understand his older brother’s intentions, and nods lightly.

“I’m not, angry.”

“Thank goodness.”

The younger brother’s hands fall to his sides, and he doesn’t touch his face any more. Poor thing, surely the damage dealt to his heart, must be a lot of intense than the physical pain.

But now I finally understand the contents of the contract, so I must thank His Majesty the Emperor for that.

“Sara—”

“Please don’t hate me, Yelshi.”

Josak purposely clears his throat, as though he’s interrupting a conversation between lovers.

“I’ll clarify this beforehand.”

The spy says “After all letting outsiders see your brotherly conflict isn’t very nice” as an opening, and then explains a little about foreign culture.

“The two of you should be real grateful you’re shinzoku. If you were mazoku, this would have become a marriage proposal between twins—and then we’d be in a legendary complicated situation… What a bother, they don’t understand.”

The shinzoku brothers act all unconcerned about it. I lower my head, watching the way they protect each other and seem to get along so well, and, thinking that something’s really wrong about this, I ask in a serious tone,

“Saralegui, what on earth is written there?”

The surface of the paper I grab is rather smooth, it should count as high quality paper in this world, huh. Since it’s for a contract, of course they’d use high quality paper! But this piece of paper has been dyed purple from the right corner to the middle.

“Can’t you say it, Saralegui?”

The Shou Shimaron king’s signature has been stained beyond recognition.

“Yuuri, what he said just now was fake. Yelshi isn’t that familiar with diplomatic matters, he thought the draft we did beforehand was the final product.”

“Don’t kid with me!”

“It’s true, I’m not kidding, you know! This contract…”

“The truth is nothing you said about what’s in there is true, right!?”

The white fingers grab the table cloth forcefully. Those lips, as beautiful as flower petals, twist due to the change in his emotions. Those irises staring straight at me, because of the pale-colored glasses, their color can’t be determined. So I’ve been completely fooled by this honest-looking appearance, of someone who’s similar in age to me and yet cheerfully working his best to rule a large country. But now that I really think about, it was all probably his act.

I wasn’t betrayed, I was conned.

This is all my fault for being too stupid.

“I don’t know what kind of tricks you played, but you brothers are in it together to trick me into signing an equality treaty, so you guys can have all the benefits, right? Because you know that the king of Shin Makoku is a big, stupid rookie. That’s right, I’m as stupid as a rookie, but I never thought that you’d look down on me that much, and you still think I’ll be fooled by your simple tricks, I truly feel so bad I wanna cry!”

Just then there’s the sound of what might be Josak unsheathing his sword. Just intimidating him from the start.

“But, so sorry, Saralegui. Even if your plan succeeded, and I accidentally signed on that stained piece of paper, Shin Makoku won’t idiotically that contract. After I go back, there are many, more capable people who can take my place.”

“I don’t mind that, Yuuri.”

Saralegui raises his chin, his hands on his hips as he stands crookedly. There’s even an arrogant smile on his lips, the piteous look from before long gone. The one before me, is a cocky, unwavering, yet earthly king. Although he’s just a teenager, his smile now makes him feel old and cunning.

“Even if those ministers you’re so proud of go against the contract, I don’t mind, because then I can use this excuse to declare war. If Shin Makoku deny the contents of the contract and start a war themselves, even better. This way we won’t be criticized by the other countries, and we can start a war with our heads held high, so we’ll definitely win.”

“You…”

“I won’t be as daft as Father’s generation, signing that sort of half-assed contract. If it was me, I’d definitely beat the other side up until they can never rise again.”

My stomach starts heating up, until I feel like smoke will billow out from my ears. Not only am I angry at Saralegui, whose attitude has made a completely one-eighty, but I’m also angry at myself for being fooled by this guy’s flowery words. I naturally lower my voice,

“In your plan, how did you mean to deal with me?”

The boy whose parents are a king and queen respectively, says the scary words unhesitatingly.

“I planned for you to die, y’know!”

After saying that softly, he takes back the document in my hands. He reads it again, lamenting the failure of his plan. But he looks very happy.

“My plan was to let you die in a little accident after signing the contract—the seas around us are just like that torrent, so nothing’s impossible. But that was the initial plan, after sailing with you, I changed my mind. Because I found out that the Maou really is very interesting. So I planned to leak the false information of your unfortunate death, and then keep you here.”

He sighs in a tone of endless regret,

“I wanted to keep you as a pet.”

Although that sounds like his sincere thoughts, but he is after all the man made out of lies, so not a single word he says should be true.

“As long as Shin Makoku thinks you’re dead, things will go as I said, your ministers or the next king would probably immediately declare war, huh? Even if the truth leaks out, and they know you’re still alive, then you’ll still be the best hostage possible.”

“Too bad, Saralegui, but I won’t be killed or imprisoned!”

The Shou Shimaron king, immersed in his dastardly plot, reaches his hand for me lightly. The neatly manicured pale pink nails slide down my cheek to my chin.

“Yuuri, it’s not too late to turn back now. It doesn’t matter even if you know the plan, don’t you want to work together with me? All you have to do is sign on the contract, and I’ll let you go back, then you just have to convince those mazoku. This way you can maintain that peace you want, and can get a portion of the power. What do you think? Not a bad plan, right?”

“You want Shin Makoku to become a vassal state of Shou Shimaron?”

“That’s right. Not only Shou Shimaron, but even the Seisakoku that you see will eventually become mine. Do you know what power this country has? Manpower and houseki in abundance, so there’s no shortage of soldiers and weapons. And most of the people here are excellent houjutsu users; as for the slaves that usually can’t be used, I just have to train them to use the sword, then they should be able to work as disposable pawns on the battlefield. This country itself is an endless treasure trove, Yuuri.”

Kneeling on the ground, Yelshi’s expression suddenly brightens, maybe it’s because he put together the words he can understand, and misunderstood that Saralegui is praising his country, huh? If he can understand this completely, he would probably be very disappointed in his older brother’s words.

“Of course you can continue being your Maou, and you can be the king of the second largest country in the world, too. If you want, the Weia Islands that belong to Shou Shimaron, and that annoying Hyscliff land can all go to you. As long as our three countries work together, then even Dai Shimaron wouldn’t dare try anything. And then that would be our era—one where no one gets hurt, the era that belongs to us.”

“That isn’t our era!”

The bottom of my spine suddenly heats up, my ears whirring in rhythm with my accelerating heartbeat.

“Saralegui, that’s just your own delusions.”

I suddenly feel as though the friendship I felt from this man, is already a thing of the distant past. And all of it was a lie, there was never any friendship between us.

“Too bad, but no matter which game it is, it’s always the Maou who makes that offer to the hero. Because the storyline is already really restricted that way. Do you know why?”

I make the sound of the sword hilt hitting the sheathe again at Saralegui (T/N: this line is a bit confusing), this is my second time intimidating him.

“Saralegui, your plan isn’t fun in the slightest, it’s too self-centered. I want to quit, I can’t go along with you.”

The threat this time finally forces Sara to snap his fingers for the servants and soldiers awaiting orders in the room. Including those completely unarmed, there are at most less than twenty of them. With these numbers alone they shouldn’t be Josak’s match—as long as Lord Weller doesn’t fight as our enemy. Also, as long as I don’t lose control and go on a rampage like a bawling baby out of rage.

That’s the most dangerous thing. There’s a special kind of pain near my lower abdomen. Before it rushes up my spine and controls my brain, I must find a way to suppress it with my own power—take deep breaths, try to break apart the gathering power.

“I don’t think that these few people can take you down either. Besides, I even let that exceptionally strong guard of yours carry a weapon and attend, so of course I made other preparations beforehand!”

The boy king turns around and gives his kneeling little brother the warmest smile, holding out a hand to help him to his feet, and calls his name in a gentle voice.

“Yelshi.”

And then he gives an order in the language we don’t understand.

“This child is an excellent houjutsu user, and it’s because he has houryoku, that he was chosen as Mother’s heir. He could use the houjutsu to control houseki however he liked even when he was just an infant.”

Just then, there’s an intense pain in my right pinky, as though it’s about to be bent in half at the roots.

“What…”

“Your Majesty!?”

I hear Josak and Conrad yelling my name, as I slump into kneeling on the ground. Completely unable to stand, I carefully look between the fingers I’m gripping tightly, only to see the pale red ring I’m wearing on my right pinky emit a faint light, while the pain it brings is even more intense than its glow.

The screams I can’t suppress leak out through my tightly clenched teeth.

“Your Majesty! Take it off, quickly!”

I grip my pinky and ring finger tightly, bending my back to hold the part the hurts. The insides of my eyeballs keep heating up in their
sockets, the tears even flying out, and then someone says in my ear, “It’ll be easier if you yell”, but I can’t tell anymore if it was Conrad or Josak.

“Have you forgotten, Yuuri? We’re friends, so we exchanged the ring and necklace. I took my long-estranged mother’s houseki to trade with your maseki. That’s the ring my beloved mother, who despised me and pretended I didn’t exist, left for me, you know! No matter how you look at it, I still think this maseki of yours is more valuable.”

Saralegui takes the blue maseki down from around his neck, solemnly untangling the hair that wrapped around it, and then dangles it at eye-level,

“So pretty. There’s even something like a crest engraved on it.”

My tears drip in front of my knees.

“But I don’t need it anymore.”

He’s just like a kid who got tired of a toy, throwing the maseki and the stone away, All I see is the maseki reflecting the newly-risen moonlight, sparkling once before falling out the window. And I can only watch it disappear in despair, only watch as that maseki that I kept hanging in front of my chest for so long disappear from sight.

“I advise you to take that ring as soon as possible, too! Don’t worry about me.”

“…How do I… remove…”

No matter how I pull and tug at it, that coral-like ring just won’t budge from my pinky. The skin around it has already been tugged at until the skin broke, bleeding. Saralegui, who knew this would happen, laughs,

“Easy, just chop off your finger with it.”

Right then I want to do just that, so my hand reaches for Conrad’s sword. But he grabs me immediately, forcing me to give up that notion.

“You can’t!”

There’s no time to listen to him, so I quickly turn around, and reach my hand out for Josak’s short sword, right then he has his arm around my back. But he doesn’t stop me, instead roaring at Saralegui,

“Is it that emperor’s doing? Is that guy doing something to the stone!?”

Yelshi, obeying his brother’s orders, approaches me unconcernedly, looking at my expression of pain with one of disbelief. He pushes his hair behind his ear in the same movement as Saralegui’s, touching my shoulder with his fingertip, seemingly shocked. Although my pain doesn’t stop increasing, I still can’t help but respect the fact that even the color of their fingernails is the same.

I get up with a speed so fast even I can’t believe it, pulling out the sword at Josak’s waist, pointing the tip at Yelshi’s throat. But even in the face of this situation, he still has a clueless expression on his face, like a newborn lamb who doesn’t know what fear is.

“Yuuri, do you want to kill me? You, who was always so gentle, want to kill him?”

Hearing Saralegui’s words, the few Seisakoku soldiers pull out their swords and get into their stances in unison. It’s okay whatever they want to do, after all Conrad will help me deal with them.

“Your Majesty, allow me.”

“N-no… We can’t.”

I shake my head continuously. But not at Josak, at my own inner thoughts. He is after all the emperor of this country, if anything happens to him, then what!?

“Stop!”

As I yell that out loud, I throw away the sword as well. Only killing him will get me out of this torture, and to break free from that temptation, I need an immense effort. The clanging of metal rings out in the tense atmosphere.

“Don’t… kill him…”

I order myself again, but without someone to support me and my feet stumbling over each other, I fall back a few steps.

“Your Majesty!”

There isn’t a wall behind me, and the balcony railing I finally touch is round and thick, so my fingers, scalding hot with pain, can’t get a grip on them at all. In that second I could still wonder how many stories this is, but before I get an answer, my entire body is already flying mid-air.

It won’t hurt anymore.

All that’s left is to fall, just like that time.

User:Alaxxis Sade

2015-05-19T12:46:44Z

Alaxxis Sade:

New (relatively) user, still getting lost all over this site, tell me if I'm doing anything wrong~

Working on Maru-MA! Volume 9 onwards with Red Glasses Girl.

My dream is to see everything with YuWo's name on it translated to English!!

Maru-MA

2015-05-19T12:41:20Z

Alaxxis Sade: /* Updates */

{{Status|Active}}

[[Image:KKM1Cover.jpg|300px|thumb|Kyou Kara MA no Tsuku Jiyuugyou! - First novel cover]]
[[Image:CoverKyouKaraMaouTanjouHen01.jpg|300px|thumb|Kyou Kara Maou! Maou Tanjou Hen - First recopilatory novel Cover]]
[[Image:442400.jpg|300px|thumb|Characters: Yuuri, Wolfram and Conrart]]
[[Image:442403.jpg|300px|thumb|Characters: Murata, Gwendal and Günter]]
[[Image:Dvddainisho16av3.jpg|300px|thumb|Characters: Yuuri, Günter, Wolfram, Conrart, Gwendal, Murata and Josak]]
<br /><br />
'''''Maru-MA''''' also known as The MA Series (㋮シリーズ) is a light novel series written by [[:Category:Tomo Takabayashi|Takabayashi Tomo]] and illustrated by Matsumoto Temari. The common name or community name of the series in English and Spanish is Kyou Kara Maou. It's published by Kadokawa Shoten since 2000. There are currently 22 novels released. Between 2004-2009 was the series adapted into anime. The 117 episodes aired as ''Kyō kara Maō!'' (jp. 今日からマ王!) in Japan on NHK BS-2. There were two of three seasons released in English under the names Kyou Kara Maoh! and God(?), Save Our King! <br /><br />

<big>'''Story Synopsis'''</big><br /><br />
Yuri Shibuya was living a pretty normal life. That changed the day he was dunked into a toilet after an attempt to save a classmate from a gang of bullies. Instead of just getting a good soaking, he's pulled in. The next thing he knows, he's in a world that vaguely resembles medieval Europe. If that's not odd enough, he's told that he is to be the next Maou (Demon King), just because he has black hair and black eyes. The Maou is the King of the Mazoku (Demon tribe), who are coexisting not-so-peacefully with the humans in this world. Much to his subjects' dismay, he's totally different from the rulers they're accustomed to. He's kind, considerate, a believer in justice, and not willing to use violence to solve conflicts. Not exactly someone they want running a country on the very brink of war. Now, Yuri has to deal with trying to become a good Maou, while at the same time attempting to adapt to this land's customs and culture, all in a world where the tension between the humans and Mazoku is reaching its peak.
<br /><br />

<big>'''Languages:'''</big><br /><br />
*[[Maru-MA|English]]
*[[Maru-MA ~ (Spanish)|Español (Spanish)]]
*[[Maru-MA ~ (Italian)|Italiano (Italian)]]
<br />

Comments? Questions? You can talk about the project in the [http://www.baka-tsuki.org/forums/viewtopic.php?f=23&t=11037 forum post]
<br /><br />
== Translation ==

==== '''[[MA Series:Registration Page|Registration Page]]''' ====

Translators are asked to '''[[MA Series:Registration Page|register]]''' for chapters they want to work on. Please add status and date at a side of your nickname, or the word '''Completed''' when you finish a chapter.
<br /><br />
==='''Format Standards'''===
Every Chapter (after editing) must conform to the general format guidelines.
*[[Format_guideline|General Format/Style Guideline]]
*[[MA Series:Names and Terminology Guideline|Project specific Guidelines: Names and Terminology]]

<br /><br />
== Updates ==
*'''May 2015'''<br/> 19th: Volume 11 Chapters 1~5
*'''April 2015''' <br/> 3rd: Drama CD 25 finished.
*'''March 2015''' <br/> 4th: Short Story 1 Chapter 5 <br/> 10th: Drama CDs: 4, 5, 7 (tracks 3 to 5), 15, 21, 24, 25 (scans), 31, 32 (tracks 1 to 3), 47, 48, 66 and 70 <br/> 13th: Updated the special sections to include short-shorts, mini-minis, mini-novels and doujinshi. Uploaded short-shorts 1 to 4, and mini-mini Let's Speak Keigo Nightǃ <br/> 16th: All novel illustration galleries updated. All prologues fixed and updated. <br/> 20th: Drama CD7 finished. Drama CD25 started, tracks 1 and 2. Updated [[MA_Series:Names_and_Terminology_Guideline|terminology list]]. Short Story 1 Chapter 6. <br/> 27th: Short Story 1 Chapters 7 and 8. Completed.
*'''February 2015''' <br/> 5th: Short Story 1 Prologue and Chapter 1 <br/> 12th: Short Story 1 Chapter 2 <br/> 19th: Short Stories Volume 3 - Chapter 1 part 2 added (external link) <br/> 25th: Drama CDs: 1~3(only scans), 6(only scans), 7(track1-2), 8~12 <br/> 26th: Drama CDs: 13, 14, 16, 17, 19, 20, 22 and 23 <br/>27th: Short Story 1 Chapter 3 and 4.
*'''January 2015''' <br/> 9th: Volume 9 completed <br/> 13th: Volume 10 Chapter 1~3 <br/> 22nd: Volume 10 Chapter 4~7 <br/> 30th: Volume 10 Short Story
*'''December 2014''' <br/> 12th: Volume 9 Chapter 3, Volume 9 Chapter 4 <br/> 15th: Volume 9 Chapter 5 <br/> 21st: Updated prologues for Volumes 11, 15 and 17. <br/> 23rd: Volume 9 Chapter 6
*'''October 2013''' <br/> 2nd: Apollo 00 by [http://otonashi-diva.livejournal.com/ Otonashi_diva] added
*'''September 2013''' <br/> 21st: Volume 4 Full Text by [http://otonashi-diva.livejournal.com/ Otonashi_diva], Titles' translation by [http://otonashi-diva.livejournal.com/ Otonashi_diva]
* '''January 2012'''<br/> 18th: Teaser Project started! <br/> 21st: Novel 3 Full text uploaded, Volume 8, Prologue + Chapter 1 + Chapter 2 added.<br/> 22nd: Volume 1, Full Text uploaded.

<br /><br />

== Staff ==
Project Manager: [[user:RedGlassesGirl|RedGlassesGirl]]

=== '''Translators''' ===
'''ACTIVE'''
:*[[user:Alaxxis Sade|Alaxxis Sade]]
:*[[user:Tasear|Tasear]] [https://tasear.wordpress.com/ (Blog)]
:*[[user:Rinetto chan|Rinetto chan]]
:*[[user:Tati-ai|Tati-ai]]
:*[[user:Kirishima Zen|Kirishima Zen]] [http://otakuyaoi.forumfree.it/?f=64540388 (Blog)]

'''INACTIVE'''
:*Emeryl ([http://www.sakuracities.com/yaoigames/kkmnovel1.php Onadoru Euphoria])
:*[http://kannnichtfranz.livejournal.com/ kannnichtfranz]
:*Dannita
:*[[user:Stellarroze|stellarroze]]
:*[[user:ClavelSangrante|ClavelSangrante]]

=== '''Editors''' ===

:*[[user:Kira0802|Kira0802]]
:*[[user:Tasear|Tasear]]
:*[[user:TerryBoom|TerryBoom]]
:*[[user:RedGlassesGirl|RedGlassesGirl]]

<br /><br />
== MA Series ==

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==='''Volume 1 - Starting Today I'm in Ma!Freelance Work!!'''===
*[[MaruMA:Volume 01|FULL TEXT]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume01:Illustrations|Novel Illustrations]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume01:Character_Introduction|Character Introduction]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume01:Prologue|Prologue]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume01:Chapter_1|Chapter 1]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume01:Chapter_2|Chapter 2]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume01:Chapter_3|Chapter 3]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume01:Chapter_4|Chapter 4]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume01:Chapter_5|Chapter 5]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume01:Chapter_6|Chapter 6]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume01:Chapter_7|Chapter 7]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume01:Chapter_8|Chapter 8]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume01:Chapter_9|Chapter 9]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume01:Chapter_10|Chapter 10]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume01:Afterword|Afterword]]
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==='''Volume 2 - This Time it's the Ultimate Ma!Weapon!'''===
*[[MaruMA:Volume 02|FULL TEXT]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume02:Illustrations | Novel Illustrations]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume02:Prologue | Prologue]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume02:Chapter_1|Chapter 1]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume02:Chapter_2|Chapter 2]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume02:Chapter_3|Chapter 3]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume02:Chapter_4|Chapter 4]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume02:Chapter_5|Chapter 5]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume02:Chapter_6|Chapter 6]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume02:Chapter_7|Chapter 7]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume02:Chapter_8|Chapter 8]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume02:Chapter_9|Chapter 9]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume02:Chapter_10|Chapter 10]]
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==='''Volume 3 - Tonight is the Great Ma!Escape!!!'''===
*[[MaruMA:Volume 03|FULL TEXT]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume03:Illustrations|Novel Illustrations]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume03:Prologue|Prologue]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume03:Chapter_1|Chapter 1]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume03:Chapter_2|Chapter 2]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume03:Chapter_3|Chapter 3]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume03:Chapter_4|Chapter 4]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume03:Chapter_5|Chapter 5]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume03:Chapter_6|Chapter 6]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume03:Chapter_7|Chapter 7]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume03:Chapter_8|Chapter 8]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume03:Chapter_9|Chapter 9]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume03:Chapter_10|Chapter 10]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume03:Chapter_11|Chapter 11]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume03:Chapter_12|Chapter 12]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume03:Murakenzu|Murakenzu]]
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==='''Volume 4 - Tomorrow a Ma!Wind Will Blow!'''===
*[[MaruMA:Volume04:Illustrations | Novel Illustrations]]
*[http://otonashi-diva.livejournal.com/2718.html Prologue and Chapter 1 by Otonashi_diva]
*[http://otonashi-diva.livejournal.com/3045.html Chapter 2 by Otonashi-diva]
*[http://otonashi-diva.livejournal.com/3077.html Chapter 3 by Otonashi_diva]
*[http://otonashi-diva.livejournal.com/3576.html Chapter 4 by Otonashi_diva]
*[http://otonashi-diva.livejournal.com/3676.html Chapter 5 by Otonashi_diva]
*[http://otonashi-diva.livejournal.com/4031.html Chapter 6 by Otonashi_diva]
*[http://otonashi-diva.livejournal.com/4301.html Chapter 7 by Otonashi_diva]
*[http://otonashi-diva.livejournal.com/4481.html Chapter 8 by Otonashi_diva]
*[http://otonashi-diva.livejournal.com/4790.html Chapter 9 by Otonashi_diva]
*[http://otonashi-diva.livejournal.com/5055.html Chapter 10 by Otonashi_diva]
*[[MaruMA:Volume04:Murakenzu|Murakenzu]]
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==='''Short Stories Volume 1 - His Excellency and the MA Tosa journal?!'''===
*[[MaruMA:Gaiden01:Illustrations|Novel Illustrations]]
*[http://otonashi-diva.livejournal.com/8339.html Prologue by otonashi-diva]
*[http://otonashi-diva.livejournal.com/8807.html The Taming of the Bear - Day 1 by otonashi-diva]
*[http://otonashi-diva.livejournal.com/9053.html The Taming of the Bear - Day 2 by otonashi-diva]
*[http://otonashi-diva.livejournal.com/9642.html The Taming of the Bear - Day 3 by otonashi-diva]
*[http://otonashi-diva.livejournal.com/10744.html Romero & Argent Part 1 by otonashi-diva]
*[http://otonashi-diva.livejournal.com/10865.html Romero & Argent Part 2 by otonashi-diva]
*[http://otonashi-diva.livejournal.com/11259.html All's Well That Ends Well Part 1 by otonashi-diva]
*[http://otonashi-diva.livejournal.com/11299.html All's Well That Ends Well Part 2 by otonashi-diva]
*[http://otonashi-diva.livejournal.com/11550.html Epilogue]
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==='''Volume 5 - The Ma!Sun Will Definitely Rise!'''===
*[[MaruMA:Volume05:Illustrations|Novel Illustrations]]
*[http://kannnichtfranz.livejournal.com/232017.html Prologue & Chapter 1 by kannnichtfranz]
*[http://kannnichtfranz.livejournal.com/232318.html Chapter 2 by kannnichtfranz]
*[http://kannnichtfranz.livejournal.com/232722.html Chapter 3 by kannnichtfranz]
*[http://kannnichtfranz.livejournal.com/233072.html Chapter 4 by kannnichtfranz]
*[http://kannnichtfranz.livejournal.com/233459.html Chapter 5 by kannnichtfranz]
*[http://kannnichtfranz.livejournal.com/233597.html Chapter 6 by kannnichtfranz]
*[http://kannnichtfranz.livejournal.com/234109.html Chapter 7 by kannnichtfranz]
*[http://kannnichtfranz.livejournal.com/234400.html Chapter 8 by kannnichtfranz]
*[http://kannnichtfranz.livejournal.com/234650.html Chapter 9 by kannnichtfranz]
*[http://kannnichtfranz.livejournal.com/234839.html Chapter 10 by kannnichtfranz]
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==='''Volume 6 - Someday in the Ma!Twilight!'''===
*[[MaruMA:Volume06:Illustrations|Novel Illustrations]]
*[http://kannnichtfranz.livejournal.com/240669.html Prologue & Chapter 1 by kannnichtfranz]
*[http://kannnichtfranz.livejournal.com/241095.html Chapter 2 by kannnichtfranz]
*[http://kannnichtfranz.livejournal.com/241290.html Chapter 3 by kannnichtfranz]
*[http://kannnichtfranz.livejournal.com/243822.html Chapter 4 by kannnichtfranz]
*[http://kannnichtfranz.livejournal.com/244149.html Chapter 5 by kannnichtfranz]
*[http://otonashi-diva.livejournal.com/6036.html Chapter 6 by otonashi-diva]
*[http://otonashi-diva.livejournal.com/6189.html Chapter 7 by otonashi-diva]
*[http://otonashi-diva.livejournal.com/6468.html Chapter 8 by otonashi-diva]
*[http://otonashi-diva.livejournal.com/6976.html Chapter 9 by otonashi-diva]
*[http://otonashi-diva.livejournal.com/7219.html Chapter 10 by otonashi-diva]
*[http://otonashi-diva.livejournal.com/7581.html Chapter 11 by otonashi-diva]
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==='''Volume 7 - The Ma!Snow Dances in the Sky!'''===
*[https://docs.google.com/View?docid=dd9f2j4p_4dj842w&pli=1 FULL TEXT by vivarina]
*[[MaruMA:Volume07:Illustrations|Novel Illustrations]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume07:Prologue|Prologue]]
*[http://kyou-kara-maou.livejournal.com/1163379.html#cutid1 Chapter 1 by vivarina]
*[http://kyou-kara-maou.livejournal.com/1167043.html#cutid1 Chapter 2 by vivarina]
*[http://kyou-kara-maou.livejournal.com/1171141.html#cutid1 Chapter 3 by vivarina]
*[http://otonashi-diva.livejournal.com/8190.html Chapter 4 by otonashi-diva]
*[http://otonashi-diva.livejournal.com/8634.html Chapter 5 by otonashi-diva]
*[http://otonashi-diva.livejournal.com/9400.html Chapter 6 by otonashi-diva]
*[http://otonashi-diva.livejournal.com/9941.html Chapter 7 by otonashi-diva]
*[http://otonashi-diva.livejournal.com/10037.html Chapter 8 by otonashi-diva]
*[http://otonashi-diva.livejournal.com/10321.html Chapter 9 by otonashi diva]
*[https://docs.google.com/document/pub?id=1VP8yzjkY0i62pwcmSUj2uHeabpelL-aQTU77CeHSsVM#cutid1 Chapter 10]
*[https://docs.google.com/document/pub?id=13bWqLhPRQ5Te5K-_7kypSVv6SSejSR_ry-5vS0XLDyA#cutid1 Chapter 11]
*[https://docs.google.com/document/pub?id=1OHeGlD5ThrgwU4AVPSQnvN-RAsUaeQxSMNPTbV789mQ#cutid1 Chapter 12]
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=== '''Volume 8 - A Ma!Star Falls to the Earth!''' ===
*[[MaruMA:Volume08:Illustrations|Novel Illustrations]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume08:Prologue|Prologue]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume08:Chapter 1|Chapter 1]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume08:Chapter 2|Chapter 2]]
*[http://otonashi-diva.livejournal.com/14476.html Chapter 3 by otonashi-diva]
*[http://otonashi-diva.livejournal.com/14610.html Chapter 4 by otonashi-diva]
*[http://otonashi-diva.livejournal.com/14899.html Chapter 5 by otonashi-diva]
*[http://otonashi-diva.livejournal.com/15244.html Chapter 6 by otonashi-diva]
*[http://otonashi-diva.livejournal.com/15403.html Chapter 7 by otonashi-diva]
*[http://otonashi-diva.livejournal.com/15696.html Chapter 8 by otonashi-diva]
*[http://otonashi-diva.livejournal.com/16166.html Chapter 9 by otonashi-diva]
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==='''Side Story 1 - The Facade of the Lady Is a Disguise!'''===
*[[MaruMA:SideStory01:Illustrations|Novel Illustrations]]
*[[MaruMA:SideStory01:Prologue|Prologue]]
*[[MaruMA:SideStory01:Chapter 1|Chapter 1]]
*[[MaruMA:SideStory01:Chapter 2|Chapter 2]]
*[[MaruMA:SideStory01:Chapter 3|Chapter 3]]
*[[MaruMA:SideStory01:Chapter 4|Chapter 4]]
*[[MaruMA:SideStory01:Chapter 5|Chapter 5]]
*[[MaruMA:SideStory01:Chapter 6|Chapter 6]]
*[[MaruMA:SideStory01:Chapter 7|Chapter 7]]
*[[MaruMA:SideStory01:Chapter 8|Chapter 8]]
</div>
</div>
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==='''Volume 9 - Aim for the Ends of the Ma!Ocean!'''===
*[[MaruMA:Volume09:Illustrations|Novel Illustrations]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume09:Prologue|Prologue]]
*[http://macimoci.livejournal.com/3181.html#cutid1 Chapter 1 (Part 1) by maci-moci] | [http://macimoci.livejournal.com/3925.html#cutid1 (Part 2) by maci-moci]
*[http://macimoci.livejournal.com/3598.html#cutid1 Chapter 2 by maci-moci]
*[[MaruMA:Volume09:Chapter 3|Chapter 3]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume09:Chapter 4|Chapter 4]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume09:Chapter 5|Chapter 5]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume09:Chapter 6|Chapter 6]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume09:Chapter 7|Chapter 7]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume09:Chapter 8|Chapter 8]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume09:Chapter 9|Chapter 9]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume09:Chapter 10|Chapter 10]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume09:Afterword|Afterword]]
</div>
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==='''Short Stories Volume 2 - My Son is in Ma!Freelance Work!?'''===
*[[MaruMA:Gaiden02:Illustrations|Novel Illustrations]]
*[[MaruMA:Gaiden02:Chapter 1|Chapter 1]]
*[[MaruMA:Gaiden02:Chapter 2|Chapter 2]]
*[[MaruMA:Gaiden02:Chapter 3|Chapter 3]]
</div>
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=== '''Volume 10 - This is the First Ma!Step!''' ===
*[[MaruMA:Volume10:Illustrations|Novel Illustrations]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume10:Prologue|Prologue]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume10:Chapter 1|Chapter 1]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume10:Chapter 2|Chapter 2]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume10:Chapter 3|Chapter 3]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume10:Chapter 4|Chapter 4]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume10:Chapter 5|Chapter 5]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume10:Chapter 6|Chapter 6]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume10:Chapter 7|Chapter 7]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume10:Short Story|Short Story]]
</div>
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==='''Volume 11 - This Will Become a Ma!Song!'''===

*[[MaruMA:Volume11:Illustrations|Novel Illustrations]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume11:Prologue|Prologue]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume11:Chapter 1|Chapter 1]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume11:Chapter 2|Chapter 2]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume11:Chapter 3|Chapter 3]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume11:Chapter 4|Chapter 4]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume11:Chapter 5|Chapter 5]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume11:Chapter 6|Chapter 6]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume11:Chapter 7|Chapter 7]]
*[http://conradxyuuri.livejournal.com/243017.html#cutid1 Chapter 8 by pyrrhic_victoly]
</div>
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==='''Volume 12 - The Treasure is in the Ma!Soil!'''===

*[[MaruMA:Volume12:Illustrations|Novel Illustrations]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume12:Prologue|Prologue]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume12:Chapter 1|Chapter 1]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume12:Chapter 2|Chapter 2]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume12:Chapter 3|Chapter 3]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume12:Chapter 4|Chapter 4]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume12:Chapter 5|Chapter 5]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume12:Chapter 6|Chapter 6]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume12:Chapter 7|Chapter 7]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume12:Chapter 8|Chapter 8]]
</div>
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==='''Volume 13 - The Box is Ma!Bottom of the Water!'''===

*[[MaruMA:Volume13:Illustrations|Novel Illustrations]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume13:Prologue|Prologue]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume13:Chapter 1|Chapter 1]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume13:Chapter 2|Chapter 2]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume13:Chapter 3|Chapter 3]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume13:Chapter 4|Chapter 4]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume13:Chapter 5|Chapter 5]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume13:Chapter_6|Chapter 6]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume13:Who's the Demon King's future Queen?...! |Who's the Majesty's Maou's future Bride?...!]] [[http://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/50465121/Novela%2013%20-%20capitulo%20especial.pdf Spanish]]
</div>
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==='''Short Stories Volume 3 - Starting Today I'm the Ma!King!?'''===

*[[MaruMA:Gaiden03:Illustrations|Novel Illustrations]]
*[https://docs.google.com/document/pub?id=1iN9rRhN5s2dbrwwgtkiTx2cjSKsvBu5_NVyYkCtBa0Y#cutid1 Chapter 1 Part 1] by pyrrhic_victoly
*[https://docs.google.com/a/globant.com/document/d/19n2oh6y2nbHtbuTMycWe_5Tub0_jW5wyp-0923tx-yE/pub Chapter 1 Part 2] by pyrrhic_victoly
*[https://docs.google.com/document/pub?id=1e04HAwN8hIGJ-lfDSP2UOpBLYCtZ1cJgN5yGQJ4XgOY#cutid1 Chapter 2] by pyrrhic_victoly
*[https://docs.google.com/document/pub?id=17--kwAQsiExEC4l6efpTVmi2QJix-0HvsTcCO5SYAAs#cutid1 Chapter 3] by pyrrhic_victoly
*[https://docs.google.com/document/pub?id=1NrZt198gxSyAMVTb144BWoYhbroFPcdkzPX0vIAB5Qk#cutid1 Chapter 4] by pyrrhic_victoly
*[https://docs.google.com/document/pub?id=1DD5pV5jTbUgubq7jBdmBt5bopY4CF6jPaG__x9W-ppU#cutid1 Chapter 5] by pyrrhic_victoly
</div>
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==='''Volume 14 - The Sand is at the End of the Ma!Road!'''===
*[[MaruMA:Volume14:Illustrations|Novel Illustrations]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume14:Prologue|Prologue]]
*[http://kyou-kara-maou.livejournal.com/1682136.html#cutid1 Chapter 1 by niveous_magics]
*[http://kyou-kara-maou.livejournal.com/1689137.html#cutid1#cutid1 Chapter 2 by niveous_magics]
*[http://kyou-kara-maou.livejournal.com/1714134.html#cutid1 Chapter 3 Part 1 by niveous_magics] | [http://kyou-kara-maou.livejournal.com/1715453.html#cutid1 Part 2 by niveous_magics]
*[[MaruMA:Volume14:Chapter 4|Chapter 4]]
*[http://kyou-kara-maou.livejournal.com/1750461.html#cutid1 Chapter 5 by niveous_magics]
*[http://kyou-kara-maou.livejournal.com/1752526.html#cutid1 Chapter 6 by niveous_magics]
*[http://kyou-kara-maou.livejournal.com/1754671.html#cutid1 Chapter 7 by niveous_magics]
*[[MaruMA:Volume14:Chapter 8|Chapter 8]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume14:Chapter 9|Chapter 9]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume14:Chapter 10|Chapter 10]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume14:Short Story|Short Story]]
</div>
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==='''Volume 15 - Set Ma!Sail for Home!'''===
*[[MaruMA:Volume15:Illustrations|Novel Illustrations]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume15:Prologue|Prologue]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume15:Chapter 1|Chapter 1]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume15:Chapter 2|Chapter 2]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume15:Chapter 3|Chapter 3]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume15:Chapter 4|Chapter 4]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume15:Chapter 5|Chapter 5]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume15:Chapter 6|Chapter 6]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume15:Chapter 7|Chapter 7]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume15:Chapter 8|Chapter 8]]
</div>
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==='''Short Stories Volume 4 - From the Ma!Kingdom, With Love'''===
*[[MaruMA:Gaiden04:Illustrations|Novel Illustrations]]
*[[MaruMA:Gaiden04:Chapter_1|Chapter 1]]
*[[MaruMA:Gaiden04:Chapter 2|Chapter 2]]
*[http://conradxyuuri.livejournal.com/262544.html#t1975440 Chapter 3 by macimoci]
*[[MaruMA:Gaiden04:Chapter 4|Chapter 4]]
*[[MaruMA:Gaiden04:Chapter 5|Chapter 5]]
*[[MaruMA:Gaiden04:Chapter 6|Chapter 6]]
*[[MaruMA:Gaiden04:Chapter 7|Chapter 7]]
</div>
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==='''Volume 16 - Before Us is the Ma!Prison!'''===
*[[MaruMA:Volume16:Illustrations|Novel Illustrations]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume16:Prologue|Prologue]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume16:Chapter 1|Chapter 1]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume16:Chapter 2|Chapter 2]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume16:Chapter 3|Chapter 3]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume16:Chapter 4|Chapter 4]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume16:Chapter 5|Chapter 5]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume16:Chapter 6|Chapter 6]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume16:Chapter 7|Chapter 7]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume16:Chapter 8|Chapter 8]]
</div>
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==='''Volume 17 - Behind Us is the Stone Ma!Wall!'''===
Behind the Stone Walls
*[[MaruMA:Volume17:Illustrations|Novel Illustrations]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume17:Prologue|Prologue]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume17:Chapter 1|Chapter 1]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume17:Chapter 2|Chapter 2]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume17:Chapter 3|Chapter 3]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume17:Chapter 4|Chapter 4]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume17:Chapter 5|Chapter 5]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume17:Chapter 6|Chapter 6]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume17:Chapter 7|Chapter 7]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume17:Chapter 8|Chapter 8]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume17:Chapter 9|Chapter 9]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume17:Chapter 10|Chapter 10]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume17:Chapter 11|Chapter 11]]
</div>
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=== '''Volume 18 - The Ma!Light Burns in the Darkness!''' ===
*Not published.
</div>
</div>
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<br style="clear:both"/>

<br /><br />
==Short-Short stories==
Simply called short-shorts, they're one or two paragraphs long. There are many stories like these published in magazines and the Ma-hon. <br/>
TOTAL AMOUNT: unknown.

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=== '''MA-Hon'''===
*[http://otonashi-diva.livejournal.com/13095.html Getting to Know The Great Demon Kingdom by Walking Through a Ma!Town]
*[http://otonashi-diva.livejournal.com/13527.html Interview]
*[http://otonashi-diva.livejournal.com/13590.html Special Short Story: Replay (SSS Re:) 1-6]
*[http://otonashi-diva.livejournal.com/14063.html Special Short Story: Replay (SSS Re:) 7-13]
*[http://otonashi-diva.livejournal.com/14186.html Special Short Story: Replay (SSS Re:) 14-End]
</div>
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=== '''Ma- Special Fan Book ( ㋮スペシャルファンブック )'''===

*[[MaruMA:Short-shorts:StorySpecial|Special Short TANGO]]
*[[MaruMAːShort-shortsːStory1|Short Short1「父子。」 Father and son]]
*[[MaruMAːShort-shortsːStory2|Short Short2「母子。」 Mother and son]]
*[[MaruMAːShort-shortsːStory3|Short Short3「兄弟。」 Brothers]]
*[[MaruMAːShort-shortsːStory4|Short Short4「質問。」 Questions]]
</div>
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| style="width:250px;"| [[Image:Temari artbook 01 V2.jpg|250px|center]] <br>
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=== '''MA Illustrations - Artbook'''===

*[http://kkm-wolframfans.livejournal.com/426994.html Short-short Yuuri/Wolfram]
</div>
</div>
|}
<br style="clear:both"/>

===Short-shorts list ===
<br/>
'''Asuka magazine - Celebrating 100 Chapters'''
*[[MaruMAːShort-shortsːMurakenzuR|Murakenzu R (RETURNS)]]
*[[MaruMAːShort-shortsːAzuka100Interview| SHIN MAKOKU DAILY NEWS - Interview (Takabayashi-sensei & GEG)]]
<br/><br/>

<br /><br />
==Mini-Mini stories==
Simply called Mini-Minis. They're 2-3 pages long.<br/>
TOTAL AMOUNT: 12

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=== '''Kyo Kara Maou Makoku no Kyujitsu Perfect Fanbook'''===
*[[MaruMAːMini-minisːSpeak-Kiego|Mini-Mini 12 - Let's Speak Keigo Night!]]

</div>
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=== '''Kyo Kara Maouǃ - Manga Volume 02'''===
*[http://kingaden.dreamwidth.org/1894.html Mini-Mini 04 - Put a lid on it]

</div>
</div>
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<br style="clear:both"/>

<br /><br />
==Mini-Novels==
These stories are 20 to 40+ pages long. Many were not included in the original novels. <br/>
TOTAL AMOUNT: 18 (Not included in the novels: 16)

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==='''Kyou Kara Maou! Maou Tanjou Hen'''===
*[http://otonashi-diva.livejournal.com/12090.html But My Heart Will Probably Beat Excitedly]
</div>
</div>
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=== '''Kyou Kara Maou! Maou Houkou Hen''' ===
*[http://otonashi-diva.livejournal.com/11907.html Together with Father]
</div>
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=== '''Ba-bump ☆ A Late Night Service with Lots of Men'''===
Official titles: Service at midnight of female off-limits, Hello Poison-lady from the country of the world.<br/><br/>
The original title makes no sense in Japanese. Literally translated into English it would be: "Anissina From the Country of the World". The reason why it makes no sense (not even in Japanese) is because Takabayashi is playing with the title and making it sound like "Alice in Wonderland".

*[http://otonashi-diva.livejournal.com/12681.html Poison Lady in Another Land Part 1]
*[http://otonashi-diva.livejournal.com/12996.html Poison Lady in Another Land Part 2]
*[https://miraclesmay.wordpress.com/2014/08/12/kyo-kara-maoh-mini-drama-d-no-sekai/ Related release: Drama CD68 - The D World by miraclesmay]
</div>
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<br style="clear:both"/>

<br /><br />

==Doujinshi==
TOTAL AMOUNT: 10

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=== '''Apollo 00'''===
*[http://otonashi-diva.livejournal.com/7751.html Apollo 00 by Otonashi_diva]
</div>
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=== '''Apollo 01'''===
*[http://otonashi-diva.livejournal.com/12493.html Alice by otonashi-diva]
</div>
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<br style="clear:both"/>

===Doujinshi list ===

'''1. Vier'''
*[[MaruMA:Doujinshi1:Story1| Story 1. Only God Knows (Essay)]]
*[[MaruMA:Doujinshi1:Story2| Story 2. For some reason you need money in this World]]
*[[MaruMA:Doujinshi1:Story3| Story 3. Not Even Buddha knows (Essay)]]
*[[MaruMA:Doujinshi1:Story4| Story 4. July 20th, Ocean Day, Fine weather]]
*[[MaruMA:Doujinshi1:Story5| Story 5. Cäcilie's Love Love Maternity Health Record Book]]
*[[MaruMA:Doujinshi1:Story6| Story 6. Information]]
*[[MaruMA:Doujinshi1:Story7| Story 7. The God of Heaven and Earth knows (kind of) (Essay)]]
<br/>
'''2. KNECHT RUPRECHT'''
*[[MaruMA:Doujinshi2:Story1| Story 1. And Say, How Important Is Christmas? (Essay)]]
*[[MaruMA:Doujinshi2:Story2| Story 2. Surely There Have Been Many Nights, but Because There are Nights, There are also Mornings]]
*[[MaruMA:Doujinshi2:Story3| Story 3. Mayurin (Essay)]]
*[[MaruMA:Doujinshi2:Story4| Story 4. Promise]]
*[[MaruMA:Doujinshi2:Story5| Story 5. Minimum Numbers of Training Days (Essay)]]
*[[MaruMA:Doujinshi2:Story6| Story 6. Information]]

<br/>
'''3. WC or NPB? '''
<br/><br/>
'''4. WALPURGIS NACHT'''
<br/><br/>
'''5. FIRE FLOWER FIRE '''
<br/><br/>
'''6. REMIX'''
<br/><br/>
'''7. TACHIBANA '''
<br/><br/>
'''8. APOLLO 00'''
<br/><br/>
'''9. APOLLO 0.1'''
<br/><br/>
'''10. ㋮PAPER 2010/12/30 '''

<br/><br/>
==Hajimari no Tabi Endings==
Short stories written by Takabayashi-sensei included in the game Hajimari no Tabi.

[[MaruMA:Hajimari:Images| Image gallery]]<br/>
[[MaruMA:Hajimari:General| General ending]]<br/>
[[MaruMA:Hajimari:Gameguide| Game guide]]<br/><br/>
[http://kkm_wolframfans.livejournal.com/454016.html Wolfram's ending by kudouusagi] <br/>
[[MaruMA:Hajimari:Conrad| Conrad's ending]]<br/>
[[MaruMA:Hajimari:Murata| Murata's ending]]<br/>
[[MaruMA:Hajimari:Gwendal| Gwendal's ending]]<br/>
[[MaruMA:Hajimari:Günter| Günter's ending]]<br/>
[[MaruMA:Hajimari:Josak| Josak's ending]]<br/>
[[MaruMA:Hajimari:Adalbert| Adalbert's ending]]<br/><br/>

<br/><br/>
==Drama CDs==
==='''Drama CDs List'''===
'''1. Merry Christmas in Shin Makoku'''
*[[MaruMA:DramaCD1:Scans|Scans]]
*[[MaruMA:DramaCD1:Track1|Single track]]
<br/>
'''2. The second and third son's secret talk'''
*[[MaruMA:DramaCD2:Track1|Single track]]
<br/>
'''3. Starting Today I'm in Ma!Freelance Work!! (Drama CD)'''<br/>
*[[MaruMA:DramaCD3:Scans|Scans]]
<br/>
'''4. The Maou, the second and third sons, a common landscape. '''
*[[MaruMA:DramaCD4:Track1|Single track]]
<br/>
'''5. Let's watch the Dream MA-SHOW!'''
*[[MaruMA:DramaCD5:Scans|Scans]]
*[[MaruMA:DramaCD5:Track1|Single track]]
<br/>
'''6. The other side of "This Time it's the Ultimate Ma!Weapon!"'''
*[[MaruMA:DramaCD6:Scans|Scans]]
<br/>
'''7. The other side of "Tonight is the Great Ma!Escape!!!"'''
*[[MaruMA:DramaCD7:Track1|Track 1: Prologue (3:12)]]
*[[MaruMA:DramaCD7:Track2|Track 2: The aquarium too has many risks (5:36)]]
*[[MaruMA:DramaCD7:Track3|Track 3: A long way in the hot desert (3:43)]]
*[[MaruMA:DramaCD7:Track4|Track 4: The happy Sandbear Family (12:45)]]
*[[MaruMA:DramaCD7:Track5|Track 5: Camping out in the desert (7:41)]]
*[[MaruMA:DramaCD7:Track6|Track 6: In the hole of the giant Sandbear (2:50)]]
*[[MaruMA:DramaCD7:Track7|Track 7: Meanwhile in Shin Makoku (7:34)]]
*[[MaruMA:DramaCD7:Track8|Track 8: A crazy delusion (5:47)]]
*[[MaruMA:DramaCD7:Track9|Track 9: In the middle of the mines, a monster screams in the name of love (8:10)]]
*[[MaruMA:DramaCD7:Track10|Track 10: I want to go home, but I can't (5:31)]]
*[[MaruMA:DramaCD7:Track11|Track 11: Epilogue (1:52)]]
<br/>
'''8. MuraKenzu Double Plus'''
*[[MaruMA:DramaCD8:Track1|Single track]]
<br/>
'''9. The other side of Tomorrow a Ma!Wind Will Blow!'''
*[[MaruMA:DramaCD9:Track1|Track 1: Prologue (5:17)]]
*[[MaruMA:DramaCD9:Track2|Track 2: Bad morning goal (6:59)]]
*[[MaruMA:DramaCD9:Track3|Track 3: Let's GO on a boat trip！(8:18)]]
*[[MaruMA:DramaCD9:Track4|Track 4: Meanwhile in Shin Makoku (8:15)]]
*[[MaruMA:DramaCD9:Track5|Track 5: Doki-Doki - Town of the Steamy hot springs (6:20)]]
*[[MaruMA:DramaCD9:Track6|Track 6: The life of a monk covered in earthly desires (8:01) ]]
*[[MaruMA:DramaCD9:Track7|Track 7: The play of Hell Paradise (7:20)]]
*[[MaruMA:DramaCD9:Track8|Track 8: Home & Home (6:49)]]
*[[MaruMA:DramaCD9:Track9|Track 9: If I could go back, after going back (3:38)]]
*[[MaruMA:DramaCD9:Track10|Track 10: Mini-drama: The Pains of His Excellency Gwendal (7:40)]]
*[[MaruMA:DramaCD9:Track11|Track 11: Epilogue (3:13)]]
<br/>
'''10. The Demon King Room Visits - Conrad's part '''
*[[MaruMA:DramaCD10:Track1|Single track]]
<br/>
'''11. The Demon King Room Visits - Murata's part'''
*[[MaruMA:DramaCD11:Track1|Single track]]
<br/>
'''12. The Demon King Room Visits - Cherie and Anissina's part'''
*[[MaruMA:DramaCD12:Track1|Single track]]
<br/>
'''13. The Demon King Room Visits - Günter's part'''
*[[MaruMA:DramaCD13:Track1|Single track]]
<br/>
'''14. The Demon King Room Visits - Gwendal's part'''
*[[MaruMA:DramaCD14:Track1|Single track]]
<br/>
'''15. The Demon King Room Visits - Wolfram and Greta's part'''
*[[MaruMA:DramaCD15:Track1|Single track]]
<br/>
'''16. Oresama Quest- Special Drama CD'''<br/>
*Track 1: Mini-drama: Washed to another world route
*[[MaruMA:DramaCD16:Track2|Track 2: Mini-drama: Maou solves the case of the missing item]]
*[[MaruMA:DramaCD16:Track3|Track 3: Mini-drama: The Mid-summer Ma dream]]
<br/>
'''17. Shin Makoku's Battle Game'''
*[[MaruMA:DramaCD17:Track1|Track 1: Title (0:08) | Track 2: The meeting to make a Game in Shin Makoku (11:24)]]
*[[MaruMA:DramaCD17:Track3|Track 3: Middle-Boss Fight 1 (8:12)]]
*[[MaruMA:DramaCD17:Track4|Track 4: Middle-Boss fight 2 (8:04)]]
*[[MaruMA:DramaCD17:Track5|Track 5: Last Boss (8:43)]]
*[[MaruMA:DramaCD17:Track6|Track 6: Game Clear Ending (3:52)]]
*[[MaruMA:DramaCD17:Track7|Track 7: MuraKenzu (3:57)]]
<br/>
'''18. Kyou Kara Maou- Hajimari no Tabi- Perfect Fan Book Drama CD'''

<br/><br/>
'''19. A great day with a wonderful Ma-friend- Conrad & Günter'''
*[[MaruMA:DramaCD19:Track1|Single track]]
<br/>
'''20. A great day with a wonderful Ma-friend - Conrad & Josak'''
*[[MaruMA:DramaCD20:Track1|Single track]]
<br/>
'''21. A great day with a wonderful Ma-friend - Yuuri & Wolfram'''
*[[MaruMA:DramaCD21:Track1|Single track]]
<br/>
'''22. A great day with a wonderful Ma-friend - Conrad & Yuuri'''
*[[MaruMA:DramaCD22:Track1|Single track]]
<br/>
'''23. A great day with a wonderful Ma-friend - Yuuri & Murata'''
*[[MaruMA:DramaCD23:Track1|Single track]]
<br/>
'''24. His Excellency and the MA Love Journal?!'''
*[[MaruMA:DramaCD24:Track1|Track 1: Prologue (6:20)]]
*[[MaruMA:DramaCD24:Track2|Track 2: Meeting with the Editor 1 (8:02)]]
*[[MaruMA:DramaCD24:Track3|Track 3: Romero and Argent (15:45)]]
*[[MaruMA:DramaCD24:Track4|Track 4: Meeting with the Editor 2 (:54)]]
*[[MaruMA:DramaCD24:Track5|Track 5: Dream Theatre (19:21)]]
*[[MaruMA:DramaCD24:Track6|Track 6: Meeting with the Editor 3 (4:26)]]
*[[MaruMA:DramaCD24:Track7|Track 7: Signings (3:42)]]
*[[MaruMA:DramaCD24:Track8|Track 8: A night alone (4:04)]]
*[[MaruMA:DramaCD24:Track9|Track 9: Epilogue (5:07)]]
<br/>
'''25. The other MA side Deluxe!'''
*[[MaruMA:DramaCD25:Scans|Scans]]

Disc 01
*[[MaruMA:DramaCD25:Track1|Track 1: Prologue (8:50)]]
*[[MaruMA:DramaCD25:Track2|Track 2: A Sudden And Rapid Development (03:28)]]
*[[MaruMA:DramaCD25:Track3|Track 3: Meanwhile in Shin Makoku (10:21)]]
*[[MaruMA:DramaCD25:Track4|Track 4: Yuuri and Murata Ken's strange Journey (08:23)]]
*[[MaruMA:DramaCD25:Track5|Track 5: Gilbit Mansion (20:30)]]
*[[MaruMA:DramaCD25:Track6|Track 6: Encounter with the Shinou (06:00)]]
*[[MaruMA:DramaCD25:Track7|Track 7: The Imperial Capital of Small Shimaron (11:08)]]

Disc 02
*[[MaruMA:DramaCD25:Track9|Track 9: Before "The Greatest Fighter" Tournament (19:04)]]
*[[MaruMA:DramaCD25:Track10|Track 10: And at that time in Shin Makoku (11:36)]]
*[[MaruMA:DramaCD25:Track11|Track 11: After "The Greatest Fighter" (11:37)]]
*[[MaruMA:DramaCD25:Track12|Track 12: And Big Shimaron (16:18)]]
*[[MaruMA:DramaCD25:Track13|Track 13: Epilogue (07:41)]]
<br/>
'''26. The Mazoku's Casual Trip to Earth - Yuuri and Wolfram'''
<br/><br/>
'''27. The Mazoku's Casual Trip to Earth - Conrad and Shouri'''
<br/><br/>
'''28. The Mazoku's Casual Trip to Earth - Yuuri and Shouri'''
<br/><br/>
'''29. The Mazoku's Casual Trip to Earth - Gunter, Yuuri and Murata'''
<br/><br/>
'''30. The Mazoku's Casual Trip to Earth - Wolf, Con and Gwen'''
<br/><br/>
'''31. Project B'''
*[[MaruMA:DramaCD31:Scans|Scans]]
*[[MaruMA:DramaCD31:Track1|Single track]]
*[[MaruMA:DramaCD31:Track2|Cast talk]]
<br/>
'''32. Maou's Birthday ☆Special'''
*[[MaruMA:DramaCD32:Track1|Track 1: Prologue (7:34)]]
*[[MaruMA:DramaCD32:Track2|Track 2: Meanwhile in Shin Makoku (2:47)]]
*[[MaruMA:DramaCD32:Track3|Track 3: Take a peek Surprise (9:25)]]
*[[MaruMA:DramaCD32:Track4|Track 4: The secret talk of a group of "grown ups" (8:48)]]
*[[MaruMA:DramaCD32:Track5|Track 5: Everyone's Birthday (11:03)]]
*[[MaruMA:DramaCD32:Track6|Track 6: Happy Birthday (16:45)]]
*[[MaruMA:DramaCD32:Track7|Track 7: Epilogue (8:26)]]
<br/>
'''33. Kyou Kara Maou- Hajimari no Tabi Band- Original CD Drama'''
<br/><br/>
'''34. From now on I'm a Heroine!? Aiming for the Koshien* sky! The day off of Murakensu.'''
<br/><br/>
'''35. Maou! Regal Birth CD'''
<br/><br/>
'''36. Ura Ma R! -Yuuri, Shouri and Conrad'''
<br/><br/>
'''37. Ura Ma R! - Saralegi, Berias and Yozak'''
<br/><br/>
'''38. Ura Ma R!- Shinou and Murata'''
*[http://tigercandy.tumblr.com/post/49943563729/drama-cd-translation-kyou-kara-maou-r-dvd-3 Single track by tigercandy]
<br/>
'''39. Ura Ma R! Gwendal, Wolfram and Yozak'''
<br/><br/>
'''40. Ura Ma R! Yuuri, Saralegi and Gunter'''
<br/><br/>
'''41. Kyou Kara Maou! A Day Off in Shin Makoku- Perfect Fan Book Original Drama CD'''
<br/><br/>
'''42. Kyou Kara Maou! A Day Off in Shin Makoku- Limited Box -Shop Original Drama CD'''
<br/><br/>
'''43. Secret'''
*Track 1 Secret - Present
*Track 2 Secret - Past
*Track 3 Secret - And now, the present
<br/>
'''44. Maou! Harvest Festival CD'''
<br/><br/>
'''45. These are the MA Holidays!‏'''
<br/><br/>
'''46. This is the MA Grand Finale!'''
<br/><br/>
'''47. Ura Ma3 - Yuuri, Conrad and Waltorana'''
*[[MaruMA:DramaCD47:Track1|Single track]]
<br/>
'''48. Ura Ma3 - Yuuri, Wolfram and Waltorana'''
*[[MaruMA:DramaCD48:Track1|Single track]]
<br/>
'''49. Ura Ma3 - Yuuri, Conrad and Greta'''
<br/><br/>
'''50. Ura Ma3 - Yuuri, Murata and Josak'''
<br/><br/>
'''51. Ura Ma3 - Gwendal, Yozak and Densham (von Karbelnikoff)'''
<br/><br/>
'''52. Ura Ma3 - Shouri, Wolfram and Murata'''
<br/><br/>
'''53. Ura Ma3 - Yuuri, Conrad and Del Kierson (von Wincott)'''
<br/><br/>
'''54. Ura Ma3 - Gwendal, Wolfram and Saralegi'''
<br/><br/>
'''55. Kyou Kara MAou! Seisakoku DX! Outward Journey'''
*[[MaruMA:DramaCD55:Scans|Scans]]
Disc 01
*[[MaruMA:DramaCD55:Track1|Track 1: It always starts with water (4:09)]]
*[[MaruMA:DramaCD55:Track2|Track 2: Shin Makoku Summit Meeting (11:26)]]
*[[MaruMA:DramaCD55:Track3|Track 3: Friends of the Sea (8:37)]]
*[[MaruMA:DramaCD55:Track4|Track 4: Bathing with Sheep Night (4:42)]]
*[[MaruMA:DramaCD55:Track5|Track 5: Muraken: impatient (1:38)]]
*[[MaruMA:DramaCD55:Track6|Track 6: The Two Kings (9:42)]]
*[[MaruMA:DramaCD55:Track7|Track 7: Phone call (2:19)]]
*[[MaruMA:DramaCD55:Track8|Track 8: Insurrection (8:39)]]
*[[MaruMA:DramaCD55:Track9|Track 9: At that time, the Mazoku group (4:08)]]
*[[MaruMA:DramaCD55:Track10|Track 10: Escape (4:04)]]
Disc 02
*[[MaruMA:DramaCD55:Track11|Track 11: Close encounters of the Third Kind (6:25)]]
*[[MaruMA:DramaCD55:Track12|Track 12: On the sea (2:18)]]
*[[MaruMA:DramaCD55:Track13|Track 13: Muraken: angry (3:34)]]
*[[MaruMA:DramaCD55:Track14|Track 14: Seisakoku (18:17)]]
*[[MaruMA:DramaCD55:Track15|Track 15: At that time, the Mazoku group (4:46)]]
*[[MaruMA:DramaCD55:Track16|Track 16: At that time, in Shin Makoku (4:56)]]
*[[MaruMA:DramaCD55:Track17|Track 17: Public executions (7:52)]]
*[[MaruMA:DramaCD55:Track18|Track 18: Going underground (7:29)]]
*[[MaruMA:DramaCD55:Track19|Track 19: Morning market (1:41)]]
*[[MaruMA:DramaCD55:Track20|Track 20: Nightmare (5:13)]]
<br/>
'''56. Kyou Kara MAou! Seisakoku DX! Return Trip'''
*[[MaruMA:DramaCD56:Scans|Scans]]
Disc 01
*[[MaruMA:DramaCD56:Track1|Track 1: Underground Labyrinth (4:14)]]
*[[MaruMA:DramaCD56:Track2|Track 2: Desert path (2:07)]]
*[[MaruMA:DramaCD56:Track3|Track 3: Underground Labyrinth again (3:00)]]
*[[MaruMA:DramaCD56:Track4|Track 4: Muraken: Going to America (3:56)]]
*[[MaruMA:DramaCD56:Track5|Track 5: Appearance (10:54)]]
*[[MaruMA:DramaCD56:Track6|Track 6: At that time, on Earth (9:04)]]
*[[MaruMA:DramaCD56:Track7|Track 7: Merging (12:32)]]
*[[MaruMA:DramaCD56:Track8|Track 8: Shinou and the Great Sage (8:37)]]
*[[MaruMA:DramaCD56:Track9|Track 9: Oasis (7:19)]]
*[[MaruMA:DramaCD56:Track10|Track 10: Ephemeral Encounter (7:35)]]
*[[MaruMA:DramaCD56:Track11|Track 11: Regret (7:23)]]
Disc 02
*[[MaruMA:DramaCD56:Track12|Track 12: Savior (9:29)]]
*[[MaruMA:DramaCD56:Track13|Track 13: Royal Tomb (1:23)]]
*[[MaruMA:DramaCD56:Track14|Track 14: Mermaid and the twins (5:20)]]
*[[MaruMA:DramaCD56:Track15|Track 15: Emperor of Seisakoku (8:46)]]
*[[MaruMA:DramaCD56:Track16|Track 16: At that time, in Shin Makoku (6:29)]]
*[[MaruMA:DramaCD56:Track17|Track 17: Alazon's shadow (14:43)]]
*[[MaruMA:DramaCD56:Track18|Track 18: Box and Key (3:59)]]
*[[MaruMA:DramaCD56:Track19|Track 19: Struggle (14:25)]]
*[[MaruMA:DramaCD56:Track20|Track 20: Dawn (1:57)]]
*[[MaruMA:DramaCD56:Track21|Track 21: Their respective thoughts (4:37)]]
*[[MaruMA:DramaCD56:Track22|Track 22: Return (5:10)]]
<br/>
'''57. The Maou, the second and third sons' unsupervised talk'''
<br/><br/>
'''58. The camping trip will be fine'''
<br/><br/>
'''59. This is the MA undesirable but, inseparable relationship?! '''(Announced but never released)
<br/><br/>
'''60. Ura Ma3 - Gunter, Del Kierson and Densham'''
<br/><br/>
'''61. Ura Ma3 - Yuuri, Shouri and Conrad'''
<br/><br/>
'''62. Ura Ma3 - Conrad, Wolfram and Murata'''
<br/><br/>
'''63. Ura Ma3 - Conrad, Gwendal and Saralegi'''
<br/><br/>
'''64. Ura Ma3 - Yuuri, Shouri and Wolfram'''
<br/><br/>
'''65. Ura Ma3 - Shinou, Murata and Janus'''
<br/><br/>
'''66. Maou in Wonderland'''
*[[MaruMA:DramaCD66:Track1|Single track]]
<br/>
'''67. Maou behind the Mirror'''
<br/><br/>
'''68. The D World'''
*[https://miraclesmay.wordpress.com/2014/08/12/kyo-kara-maoh-mini-drama-d-no-sekai/ Single track by miraclesmay]
<br/>
'''69. Lord Weller's Night-Night'''
<br/><br/>
'''70. Maou Heika and his Fiance's "Sleep Tight"'''
*[[MaruMA:DramaCD70:Scans|Scans]]
*[[MaruMA:DramaCD70:Track1|Single track]]
*[[MaruMA:DramaCD70:Track2|Cast talk]]
<br/>
'''71. Maou Heika and the person who named him "I can't sleep tonight".'''
*[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TopZlGysNz4 Single track by Wolframkyo1]
<br/>

==='''DVD Specials'''===
'''1. Kyou Kara Maou! Thanks to the Fans! There's Valentine's Day in Shin-Makoku too?! '''

<br/><br/>
== Series Overview ==

==='''Main Story'''===

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Novel !! Original title !! Translated title !! ISBN !! Date of publishing !! Cover
|-
| 1 || Kyou Kara MA no Tsuku Jiyuugyou!
(今日から㋮のつく自由業!)
|| Starting Today I'm in Ma!Freelance Work!! || ISBN 978-4044420017,
ISBN 978-4044452018 (re-release)
|| November 2000,
September 2001 (re-release)
|| [[Image:KKM1Cover.jpg|150px]]
|-
| 2 || Kondo wa MA no Tsuku Saishuu Heiki!
(今度は㋮のつく最終兵器!)
|| This Time it's the Ultimate Ma!Weapon! ||ISBN 978-4044420024,
ISBN 978-4044452025 (re-release)
|| April 2001,
September 2001 (re-release)
|| [[Image:Novel02cover.jpg|150px]]
|-
| 3 || Konya wa MA no Tsuku Daidassou!
(今夜は㋮のつく大脱走!)
|| Tonight is the Great Ma!Escape!!! || ISBN 978-4044452032 || November 2001
|| [[Image:KKM3Cover.jpg|150px]]
|-
| 4 || Ashita wa MA no Tsuku Kaze ga Fuku!
(明日は㋮のつく風が吹く!)
|| Tomorrow a Ma!Wind Will Blow! || ISBN 978-4044452049 || February 2002
|| [[Image:KKM4Cover.jpg|150px]]
|}

==='''Caloria Arc'''===

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Novel !! Original title !! Translated title !! ISBN !! Date of publishing !! Cover
|-
| 5 || Kitto MA no Tsuku Hi ga Noboru!
(きっと㋮のつく陽が昇る!)
|| The Ma!Sun Will Definitely Rise! || ISBN 978-4044452063 || September 2002
|| [[Image:KKM5Cover.jpg|150px]]
|-
| 6 || Itsuka MA no Tsuku Yuugureni!
(いつか㋮のつく夕暮れに!)
|| Someday in the Ma!Twilight! || ISBN 978-4044452070 || December 2002
|| [[Image:KKM6Cover.jpg|150px]]
|-
| 7 || Ten ni MA no Tsuku Yuki ga Mau!
(天に㋮のつく雪が舞う!)
|| The Ma!Snow Dances in the Sky! || ISBN 978-4044452087 || May 2003
|| [[Image:KKM7cover.jpg|150px]]
|-
| 8 || Chi ni wa MA no Tsuku Hoshi ga Furu!
(地には㋮のつく星が降る!)
|| A Ma!Star Falls to the Earth! || ISBN 978-4044452094 || June 2003
|| [[Image:KKM8Cover.jpg|150px]]
|-
|}

==='''Seisakoku Arc'''===

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Novel !! Original title !! Translated title !! ISBN !! Date of publishing !! Cover
|-
| 9 || Mezase MA no Tsuku Umi no Hate!
(めざせ㋮のつく海の果て!)
|| Aim for the Ends of the Ma!Ocean! || ISBN 978-4044452117 || April 2004
|| [[Image:KKM9Cover.jpg|150px]]
|-
| 10 || Kore ga MA no Tsuku Daiippo!
(これが㋮のつく第一歩!)
|| This is the First Ma!Step! || ISBN 978-4044452131 || September 2004
|| [[Image:KKM10cover.jpg|150px]]
|-
| 11 || Yagate MA no Tsuku Uta ni Naru!
(やがて㋮のつく歌になる!)
|| This Will Become a Ma!Song! || ISBN 978-4044452148 || December 2004
|| [[Image:KKM11cover.jpg|150px]]
|-
| 12 || Takara wa MA no Tsuku Tsuchi no Naka!
(宝は㋮のつく土の中!)
|| The Treasure is in the Ma!Soil! || ISBN 978-4044452155 || August 2005
|| [[Image:KKM12cover.jpg|150px]]
|-
| 13 || Hako wa MA no Tsuku Mizu no Soko!
(箱は㋮のつく水の底!)
|| The Box is Ma!Bottom of the Water! || ISBN 978-4044452162 || April 2006
|| [[Image:KKM13cover.jpg|150px]]
|-
| 14 || Suna wa MA no Tsuku Michi no Saki!
(砂は㋮のつく途の先!)
|| The Sand is at the End of the Ma!Road! || ISBN 978-4044452186 || December 2007
|| [[Image:KKM14cover.jpg|150px]]
|-
| 15 || Kokyou he MA no Tsuku Kaji wo Tore!
(故郷へ㋮のつく舵をとれ!)
|| Set Ma!Sail for Home! || ISBN 978-4044452209 || May 2008
|| [[Image:KKM15cover.jpg|150px]]
|-
|}

==='''Prison Arc'''===
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Novel !! Original title !! Translated title !! ISBN !! Date of publishing !! Cover
|-
|| 16 || Mae wa MA no Tsuku Tetsugoushi!
(前は㋮のつく鉄格子!)
|| Before Us is the Ma!Prison! || ISBN 978-4044452216 || December 2008
|| [[Image:KKM16cover.jpg|150px]]
|-
|| 17 || Ushiro wa MA no Tsuku Ishi no Kabe!
(後は㋮のつく石の壁!)
|| Behind Us is the Stone Ma!Wall! || ISBN 978-4044452223 || January 2010
|| [[Image:KKM17cover.jpg|150px]]
|-
|| 18 || Yami ni MA no Tsuku Hi ga Tomoru!
(闇に㋮のつく灯がともる！)
|| x || — || (Not published...) || —
|-
|}

==='''Gaidens'''===
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Novel !! Original title !! Translated title !! ISBN !! Date of publishing !! Cover
|-
|| 01 || Kakka to MA no Tsuku TOSA Nikki!?
(閣下と㋮のつくトサ日記!?)
|| His Excellency and the MA Tosa journal?! || ISBN 978-4044452056 || May 2002
|| [[Image:KKMGaiden01cover.jpg|150px]]
|-
|| Side Story 01 || Ojousama to wa Kari no Sugata!
(お嬢様とは仮の姿!)
|| The Facade of the Lady Is a Disguise! || ISBN 978-4044452100 || September 2003
|| [[Image:KKMEspecial1.jpg|150px]]
|-
|| 02 || Musuko wa MA no Tsuku Jiyuugyou!?
(息子は㋮のつく自由業!?)
|| My Son is in Ma!Freelance Work!? || ISBN 978-4044452124 || April 2004
|| [[Image:KKMGaiden02cover.jpg|150px]]
|-
|| 03 || Kyou Kara MAou!?
(今日から㋮王!?)
|| Starting Today I'm the Ma!King!? || ISBN 978-4049007824 (Kumahachi Special)
ISBN 978-4044452179 (normal version)
|| November 14, 2006 (Kumahachi Special)
November 30, 2006 (normal version)
|| [[Image:KKMGaiden03cover2.jpg|150px]]
|-
|| 04 || Shin MAkoku Yori Ai wo Komete
(眞㋮国より愛をこめて)
|| From the Ma!Kingdom, With Love || ISBN 978-4044452193 || July 2008
|| [[Image:KKMGaiden04cover.jpg|150px]]
|-
|}

==='''Omnibus Re-release'''===
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Novel !! Original title !! Translated title !! ISBN !! Date of publishing !! Cover
|-
|| 01 || Kyou Kara Maou! Maou Tanjou Hen
(今日からマ王! 魔王誕生編)
|| x || ISBN 978-4041007396 || March 2013
|| [[Image:KKMReco01.jpg|150px]]
|-
|| 02 || Kyou Kara Maou! Maou Houkou Hen
(今日からマ王! 魔王彷徨編)
|| x || ISBN 978-4041007785 || April 2013
|| [[Image:KKMReco02.jpg|150px]]
|-
|| 03 || Kyou Kara Maou! Chikyuu Kako Hen
(今日からマ王！地球過去編)
|| x || ISBN 978-4041009482 || July 2013
|| [[Image:KKMReco03.jpg|150px]]
|-
|| 04 || Kyou Kara Maou! Caloria Hen
(今日からマ王！カロリア編)
|| x || ISBN 978-4041011546 || December 2013
|| [[Image:KKMReco04.jpg|150px]]
|-
|| 05 || Kyou Kara Maou! Caloria Hen II
(今日からマ王！カロリア編 II)
|| x || ISBN 978-4041011782 || January 2014
|| [[Image:KKMReco05.jpg|150px]]
|-
|}

<br /><br />
==Related Pages==
*[http://kyoukaramaou.wikia.com/wiki/Media Kyou Kara Maou! Wikia]
*[http://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E3%81%BE%E3%82%8B%E3%83%9E%E3%82%B7%E3%83%AA%E3%83%BC%E3%82%BA Japanese Wiki] (Maru-Ma Series)
*[http://redglassesgirl-maruma.tumblr.com/ Tumblr dedicated to Maru-MA | Kyou Kara Maou]
*[http://pdk.broken-sunshine.net/ Maru-MA Scans]
*[http://www.mangahere.co/manga/kyou_kara_maou/ Manga online]

[[Category:Light novel (English)]]
[[Category:Tomo Takabayashi]]

[[Category:Genre - Action]]
[[Category:Genre - Comedy]]
[[Category:Genre - Fantasy]]
[[Category:Genre - Drama]]

MaruMA:Volume11:Chapter 6

2015-05-19T12:25:30Z

Alaxxis Sade: Created page with "===Chapter 6=== “Emperor!?” Why is it different from what I thought? So Seisakoku isn’t a monarchy, but an empire? After coming to the king’s audience room deep w..."

===Chapter 6===

“Emperor!?”

Why is it different from what I thought? So Seisakoku isn’t a monarchy, but an empire?

After coming to the king’s audience room deep within the palace, we finally learn about that from Ajira. Because he said, “Please wait here for His Imperial Majesty Yelshi to arrive.”

Since arriving here, this is my first time hearing my summit opponent’s name, and the fact that he’s not a king, but an emperor.

“Hey! Why didn’t anyone tell me about this, huh? If so you should have said from the start this is the Empire of Seisa(1)!”

“Young Master, why are you so freaked out? What’s the difference between His Majesty the King and His Majesty the Emperor~ It’s just the title that’s a little different. And they don’t place much emphasis on hereditary lineage here, so it’s rather like our country!”

Josak’s attitude sure is carefree.

“But the problem lies in that ‘a little’ difference!”

“Speaking of difference, this outfit has a lot of problems too, you know.”

He frowns, pinching the material on his shirt.

“Young Master too, such pale colors don’t suit you at all. The way Gurrier sees it, if you were such coarse clothes to see the leader of another country, now that’s a big problem! Really, I just want to take it all off and be done with it!”

“Don’t be like that, d-don’t mess around. If you do that, won’t I be wearing ‘the King’s New Clothes’?”

Although in the ‘King’s New Clothes’, that king gives the impression of being weak and stupid, but if you change king to emperor, for some reason it just gives a cool air like ‘Scarred Lola’(2), I wonder why?

Although amongst the group of kings there’s also big names like Alexander, but because this noun was used too much in fairy tales, so it make people think of kindly old grandfathers. Once you mention an emperor, though, people like Napoleon or Nero come to mind, and you can’t think of them as gentle at all—I have a predisposed opinion when it comes to emperors, assuming that they’re either good at war or tyrants, so either way they’re scary people in power.

Just like there are emperor penguins and king penguins, and the former just gives you a stronger feeling.

If it was Murata, he would surely raise a few more examples like Beckenbauer(3) and Michel Platini, such names that I never heard before, huh? For all I know there’d be a general in the middle of all that.

Anyway, putting aside my petty concerns, we’ve come to the Seisakoku emperor’s audience room. The room is long and rectangular, while the painted-gold ceiling is arched like the bottom of the boat. The floorboards and walls are covered in mosaic, describing the history of the shinzoku according to the years. Just looking at these pictures makes you feel you shouldn’t simply step on them, so all of us have no choice but to push forward while jumping like frogs. Really, since it’s an important piece of art that should never be dirtied, you shouldn’t put it on the floor!

The drapes are slowly pulled open as the guards announce the arrival of the guards. I can vaguely sense someone sitting behind the veils.

All the symptoms of the pressure, heart-pulsing, breathlessness, gastric pains, headaches and chest-tightening, all ambush me at once.

Just then His Majesty Yelshi speaks up from behind the thin veils:

“Gasgabu?”

This emperor’s words really leave people at a loss. Even in this kind of situation, he still treats every word like gold, and his tone at the end is clearly questioning. According to my super translation skills, it’s ‘no need to be so formal, come closer’, but it’s completely different to what the expert’s translation is.

“Long trip?”

How very simple and concise.

“Ah! Thank you for your concern.”

I don’t know how to answer, so I sneak a glance at Saralegui. If you count the number of days we’ve been on the throne, he counts as my senior. But the young Shou Shimaron king doesn’t particularly greet the other party, all I see is a hint of a smile on the corners of his lips.

True, after all we represent our respective countries too, so we can’t act too submissive. A rookie king like me with so little experience it’s pitiful, can only learn by experiencing it for myself.

The Seisakoku emperor continues with a longer speech than just now. Even if it’s someone like me, who can use baseball metaphors and annoy the hell out of people, can’t bring the baseball logic I’m so good at when talking to someone in long, foreign sentences. At times like this, it’d be best to rely on Anissina’s pride and joy, her mysterious ma-powered devices.

“Regarding your visit, we feel very happy. Do you wish to drink anything?”

After hearing that completely normal translation, Saralegui suddenly relaxes his shoulders, a smile blossoming across his face,

“Heh, Yelshi.”

He uses his white hands to push his hair behind his ears, and even a small gesture like that is still elegant on him.

“Yelshi, don’t bother with those annoying formalities anymore, this is our long-awaited reunion after thirteen years, you know!”

The Shou Shimaron king says this cheerfully, and then, ignoring everyone else who’s staring wide-eyed and slack-jawed, he reaches his hands out for the veil between us and His Majesty the Emperor.

“P-please wait!”

He disregards the opposition from the others, pulling aside the pale green veils as naturally as he would push aside his hair.

“Wait a sec, Sa… Eh?”

On the throne one step above us, there’s another Saralegui sitting there—No, to be precise there is a little difference. The hair that brushes his shoulders is shorter than Sara’s, and he doesn’t have pale-colored glasses to hide his light-sensitive eyes. But the two of them can’t simply be described as ‘very similar’.

They’re practically twins.

“So…”

My voice is so hoarse it gets stuck in my throat.

So that’s it! When I turn around to look, I see that even Josak and Lord Weller look fairly surprised. Even the two younger guards awaiting orders in the room can’t hide the wavering of their hearts. The only ones who look unaffected are the slightly older ones.

Saralegui takes off the glasses he usually wears, opening his arms to the emperor of Seisakoku.

“Yelshi, long time no see. You’ve grown so big! Well, that’s unsurprising, after all we’re not kids anymore.”

And with that he runs towards the young king, using equally slender arms to hug his petite body.

“We lived separately, so we may not look exactly the same. What do you think, Yuuri?”

Two pairs of identical eyes look at me. One pair is completely emotionless, while the other pair of golden eyes is sparkling with joy.

“I wonder, do we still look very similar?”

I’m so surprised I’m beyond reacting.

That’s right, didn’t I know this a long time ago?

There are a lot of twins among the shinzoku.

1. Seisa-koku means Holy Sand Country, so he meant Seisa-teikoku(?), Holy Sand Empire.

2. Kizudarake no Lola, a song by Saijo Hideki.

3. A German football player and manager nicknamed Der Kaiser, or the Emperor. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Franz_Beckenbauer)

4. A French footballer, Wikipedia says his nickname was the King, but my raws translated that as General…? (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michel_Platini)

MaruMA:Volume11:Chapter 5

2015-05-18T17:17:27Z

Alaxxis Sade: Created page with "===Chapter 5=== With the escort of the maidmer princesses and the manmer lords, we arrive at the Seisakoku port before sunset. I’ve only ever seen Dejima(1) in textbooks ..."

===Chapter 5===

With the escort of the maidmer princesses and the manmer lords, we arrive at the Seisakoku port before sunset.

I’ve only ever seen Dejima(1) in textbooks and periodic dramas, so I can’t compare, but at least this is different from what I imagined, and the atmosphere is pretty peaceful too.

I can’t hear the yells of traders here, neither do I see kids scampering across the roads. The camel-colored two-story brick buildings line the streets neatly and in order, but only a few of the shops are open for business, so there’s not even a hint of the hustle and bustle of a port.

And yet, there are definitely a lot of people here, the passers-by on the roads being mostly healthy and friendly-looking adults. They smile at the foreigners going to customs, and a few of them say a few short words, probably greetings.

And they’re just like the shinzoku we’ve seen before, with blonde hair so pale it’s almost white, and their eyes are a pretty golden color too. People with dark hair and eyes are rare, so everyone looks surprised at our appearances at first, but there is no contempt in their reactions.

“What a relief, I was worried what to do if they treated us like rare animals!”

“Who knows, maybe the people of Dejima are used to contact with foreigners? And they should have received a certain degree of education. The deeper into the continent you go, the simpler the people.”

Josak rolls up the sleeves on his apron, turning his head to look at me, who was sighing in relief,

“We can’t judge a country by its main gates alone. At the very least we have to see the porch and back door.”

“I see. You’re so smart! Josak.”

“Hehe, you really know how to win my heart, this is the first time in my life someone called me smart! But too bad, it has nothing to do with my wits, it’s actually the accumulation of experience. Oh, dear—actually it’s because I’ve been to a lot of places, though I was spending my boss’ money the whole time.”

“So you’re studying on scholarship? That makes you just like Mori Ogai(2)~”

As a result he gives me an expression that says, that’s why I can’t just sit by and do nothing—Looks like I said something dumb again.

The customs officers who greet us ask us this and that as they help the tourists change clothes or wash up. These workers look around the same age as those young girls working in Japan, maybe it’s because their outfits and hairstyles are all uniform, every girl looks the same.

I observe closely for a while, and realize that there are duos who look the same everywhere.

That’s when I finally remember, that the rates of shinzoku having twins are really high. There are identical twins like Jason and Freddy who looks so similar it’s unbelievable; and though Zeta and Zuusha are sister and brother, they still look very similar. Although I haven’t seen the siblings of that girl and that helms expert, it’s highly likely that they were mingled with the group in that boat.

Speaking of which, I wonder where Jason and Freddy are forced to work at? I look around, trying to see if they’re among this group of girls. Not far away from me, though, Saralegui is causing a ruckus. Although he’s young, but he’s still the king of a country, for him to receive the same examinations at the customs like a normal visitor, must make him feel really insulted, huh? For all I know, being as composed and low-confidence like me is the problem here. Lord Weller is comforting him with a pained expression— it sure is tough to take care of others. I can’t help but smile bitterly, and only then do I realize that my mouth is so dry my tongue is almost glued to the ceiling.

It’s not just my throat that’s dry.

“Ah—I’m so hungry my vision is blurring”

“That’s bad, are you dizzy and nauseous? Should Gurrier apologize to everyone out there who’d eating right now?”

“Although I’m nauseous, I can only puke out stomach acids. It should be okay! As long as we don’t suddenly have to eat a full course French meal.”

A pair of sisters come up to me with brand new white cloths, the girl on the eight smiling as she hands me the warm towels.

“Comment allez-vous? (French for How are you?)”

S-she’s speaking French! Just when I’m at a loss about how to reply, she has already taken the steamed towel and is wiping my face—completely unafraid of my position.

“Azabu-jūban(3)—Mn.”

“That’s the Toei Ōedo Line’s… Mn…”

“Waa tai izzit nah? (What time is it now?)”

That is impossible. As I recall what I saw in my old man’s Conversational English Booklet, I try to say ‘saitsheeing (sightseeing)’, and as a result the girl who was helping me tidy up actually blushed and ran away. Looks like she’s not good at dealing with foreigners and strange accents.

The completely calm and collected spy Josak, on the other hand, easily solves the language problem. All he does is occasionally raise his palm and smile, occasionally make a ‘fine, fine’ movement, signaling for them to leave.

“That’s amazing, Josak understands what they’re saying?”

“How can that be—I’m just making weird gestures as I like! As long as I make such contradicting reactions, I’m sure even they will get a headache and find a translator.”

“Impressive! Then let me make some weird gestures too.”

And then I stick out my tongue, scaring three people to tears. Looks like my techniques still aren’t up to par.

“Really, Young Master, Gurrier is an adult with a young girl’s heart, you know.”

And just as Josak said, the panicked translator immediately rushes over, so from now on the ones handling all our matters, are all bearded middle-aged uncles, while those girls stay as far away from us as possible, treating us as people to pay special attention to.

One of the men has a name card saying, ‘Translator: Ajira”, though the third word is a mirror image of the real word. Behind those heavy lenses, his golden eyeballs are so big it’s scary. Looks like even shinzoku, seem to get short-sighted. He has a soft beard on his face and chin, looking as though there’s white mold growing there.

Following that man’s lead, we leave Dejima, and prepare to enter Seisakoku borders.

“You, horse?”

“Ah?”

I can’t help but want to ask him who’s the horse here. After a rather long time, we finally understand that he has a habit of abbreviating the verbs when he talks. Turns it he was asking, ‘You want to ride a horse?’ We left transport up to him, but the thing I’m more worried about is, does he understand what kind of a group we are?

At the exit of the port, there are people desperately waving. Normal people wouldn’t simply wave at the prime minister of another country, right? Even though they don’t have relations, Shou Shimaron is still a large country. Seeing that he doesn’t seem to be respected by the commoners here, Saralegui’s mood doesn’t seem too good.

Basically Seisakoku isn’t exactly what its name suggests, because this isn’t a place where all you see is sand.

There’s greenery between the mountains, and red earth along the roads. ‘In a white desert you can’t see in one glance, after experiencing the cruelest trip on camelback, finally reaching an oasis with one coconut tree…’ I was initially imagining a place a lot like the Sahara Desert, but the result is vastly different.

The temperature here is barely different from the harsh winters of Japan, though, even pulling up my collar can’t block out the cold winds blowing from all directions, and the air is extremely dry, too.

It could be because of the climate here, but there’s very little greenery on the plains. Looking out the coach windows, I can only see very few places that could be called farms. Maybe this country isn’t built on agriculture?

Not only is the scenery as we’re moving vastly difference from my imagination, even the first city that we finally arrive at, has a level of splendor that truly shocks us.

The buildings are all fixed and uniform, with not one house standing out. Because of the time, the shops haven’t opened for business yet, but the windows of each house are brightly lit with lanterns, and steel gates that lead in and out line the smooth road. According to Ajira’s proud explanation (though he still does away with the verbs), even the underground waterway and heating systems here are very complete.

What’s even more surprising to us is, there isn’t a wall surrounding the city.

The city area around Blood Pledge Castle, is surrounded by tall walls, mainly as a defense against thieves at night and enemy armies. But Seisakoku doesn’t have city walls.

“So cool! Looks like the security here is very well maintained.”

“Is that so~”

Josak mutters as he heads towards the place we’re staying for the night. Right now he seems to be more nervous that he was at Dejima.

“Looks like that stretch of ocean should be a natural defense, huh… And also…”

“Josak, what’s the matter? Look at you, stuttering like that. If you think anything’s not right, could you please talk to me about it?”

“Right now it’s still okay. Before the king here meets us, he would probably hope we’re unharmed as well.”

Seems like there’s a double edge to his words. Based on many years as a spy, his sixth sense isn’t something to be underestimated!

There are still three days and three nights to go, until the summit to be held in Seisakoku.

Although our traveling involves rushing in the day time, we stay in five-star hotels at night, so even the extravagant greenhouse-flower Saralegui can’t complain about it. As for me, ever since the second day after we landed, I haven’t felt tired at all, instead I feel so energized I can’t sleep.

Maybe it’s because my inability to sit still has even been noticed by third parties, so not only Josak, but even Saralegui asks me if I’m unwell at some point.

“I’m guessing it might because I’m too wound up. Rather than call it gastric pains… it’s more like I ate too much and feel tight in my chest.”

“Could it be a cold? Maybe you were too worn out that time when we were drifting on the sea.”

And sometimes I get headaches and horrible chills too, very evidently the pre-symptoms of a cold.

“Yuuri, I think you should ask the translator to help bring you some medicine! Although it’s shinzoku medicine, it shouldn’t be completely ineffective to mazoku.”

“If I ask him to bring me medicine, but instead he gives me a cup of super-bitter tea, that’d be a bother. I’m okay, sheesh! I’ll just ask him to bring an extra blanket… Sara, sorry, I made you worry.”

Of course it’s not as though I think the medicine here is ineffective, it’s just the moment I hear about taking medicine, I remember Günter’s advice, “Don’t eat the food offered by strangers”. As a principle I still eat the normal three meals, but I will never take any special food no one else has eaten. That’s the most basic of precautions.

And I deduce that this sense of discomfort isn’t a cold, but due to pressure. I’ve been in a series of emergency situations since Shou Shimaron, and I didn’t have any friends during the voyage. Josak is definitely a comrade I can rely on, and is a trustworthy guard, but that’s different from the sense of safety Wolfram gives me. Because we can’t banter with each other, and comfort each other.

Although the things I’m worried about has lessened a little since we landed, but something else that makes me uneasy immediately appears—that is the stress from the summit that will I’ll have to face soon.

After this I’ll meet the king of an unknown country that I’ve never seen before, and hold a talk with the reputation of two countries on the line. And this isn’t a one-on-one summit either, the Shou Shimaron king will be present, too. Faced with two kings who have received the proper kingly training, is a normal high school student with no talents like me a worthy opponent?

After all half a year ago I was still a baseball boy like any other you could see on the street. Completely clueless about any diplomatic ways, much less any negotiation techniques. I’d much rather let that brother of mine, who bragged that he would someday be governor of Tokyo, take my place instead.

The strategist that I can rely on, Günter, isn’t with me, and Murata, who can help me best at times like this is nowhere to be seen either. There’s not a single person I can discuss this with beside me.

No wonder I feel the pressure piling on.

“I might get crushed to death by the pressure.”

I mumble in a voice no one else can here, and kick the floor of the coach once. Since this is the eve of the destined match, it’s completely unsurprising that I feel this way. But a benchwarmer like me has almost never experienced any large-scale matches, just the EXP difference itself is huge.

“Yuuri, look! We can see the capital! Ah~ I’m so excited, I wonder what kind of a city has it become? Is the king here okay? Is the previous monarch healthy?”

Saralegui, who doesn’t seem to know what pressure means, says happily as he leans out of the window.

Lord Weller, who has been quiet this whole time, advises in a monotonous voice,

“Your Majesty, it’s best not to overthink things.”

“But I’m really looking forward to it! My heart feels so excited.”

His tone sounds like he’s met the other person before… Speaking of which, he did mention on the voyage that that was his second time crossing that dangerous stretch of sea.

“Sara, you…”

Because of the improvement in the quality of the road, the speed of the carriage starts picking up, too, making me swallow down my suspicions together with the sound of the wheels. Don’t ask, so what if I know more about Saralegui’s past? It’ll just make me feel more regretful that I didn’t learn the necessary knowledge, make me feel smaller.

The capital of Seisakoku, Yelshinrad, seems calm and carefree under the sparkling evening rays.

Faced with such huge, majestic buildings, we’re completely shocked by its different style.

So this is the kind of the city they meant by a metropolis, this is the kind of country they meant by a powerful country…

“Impressive…”

The original color should be white or something pale, right? The orderly roads and walls have been dyed crimson by the sunset. The castle is in the heart of the city, just looking at the top of the tower forced me to crane my neck, the height itself leaves me at a loss for words.

There are streets leading into the city and away from the castle in every direction, all the buildings built around that center in a circle. If the Tang Dynasty’s Chang’An looks like a chessboard, then this one…

“How to describe it… It’s like a baumkuchen(4).”

Why am I so unimaginative?

Looking at the city from the center tower, gives me the feeling of a solemn concerto getting louder and louder.

“Some people cry.”

The translator, Ajira, is as simple and concise as ever. He probably means to say that ‘Some people are so touched when they see the castle for the first time, they actually cry’, right? I’m begging you, don’t abbreviate that much!

In contrast to the happy and rowdy atmosphere, Saralegui has become quieter, he’s probably very nervous too.

As for me, my gut and temple starts hurting, and I even feel cold sweat beading on my back and neck. To make sure no one else notices, I secretly wipe my forehead. But the overwhelming pressure makes it hard for me to breathe, and I can no longer tell if it’s gastric pains or something else, so I can’t help but grip my chest tightly with my right hand.

Underneath the borrowed clothes, there’s only my rapidly accelerating heartbeat.

“Yuuri?”

“Hm? Mn, what’s the matter?”

There are four tall and intricately-carved pillars at the castle entrance. When I place my hand on the smooth surface, the coolness immediately moves to my arm through my fingers. The carved stone walls and ground sparkle, the pale green patterns indescribably beautiful.

In the past I’ve seen many mansions and castles, but compared to this palace, the extravagance is on a completely different level, even making me feel as though the Blood Pledge Castle we live in is a coarsely-built bunker.

Right then, in front of the people who looked live palace servants with their heads bowed, Saralegui says to me,

“Don’t embarrass yourself in a place like this, ‘kay.”

And then that pretty face blooms into a smile.

The white face, pale-colored glasses, and slender limbs are all dyed by the orange backlight—making him look like he’s bathed in fresh blood.

It’s not the cold and not the overwhelming pressure, but an unknown reason that makes me sway on my feet, and as a result I miss a step on the not-too-high stairs. But before I can fall, a hand holds me up firmly.

“…Your Majesty.”

It can’t be, it’s completely impossible.

My throat feels like it’s being blocked by something heavy, and the oxygen can’t get through my windpipe.

He is so friendly. He was always like that, and he should always be like that.

Why must I be so suspicious of everything? If I suspect everyone and everything, then won’t there be no end to it? But suspecting him is easier than trusting him.

“Your Majesty.”

“Which ‘Your Majesty’ are you calling?”

I retort instinctively. Because that voice is Lord Weller’s.

“You.”

Conrad stands two steps above me, stopping me from saying any more, continuing what he wants to say. Because of the backlight, I can’t see his light brown eyes—I hate the sunset like hell!

“Do you want to go back?”

Josak grabs my arm, and I push up against him forcefully. By now Saralegui has climbed up the stairs, and is looking back at us, left behind.

“If you’re feeling uncomfortable, rest well tonight, and go tomorrow.”

“How can I!”

I ignore their concerns, dashing up the two stone steps. Since I’m already here, how can I back down!

I really can’t imagine what kind of impressive person my opponent is at all, but I still need to see if he’s an enemy or a friend. Besides, I can’t get rid of my doubts towards Saralegui in my heart, either. But he’s only seventeen, if you just look at the number of years we’ve lived, there’s not that much of a difference. Even if the things we learned are different, the times we’ve got to use those things should be the same. Since he can do it, I should be able to do it too.

Come on! Get into the batter’s box. This isn’t the practice field, this is the batter’s box in an official competition. I’m going to use everything I have to take you down… Though whether I’ll get a strikeout or not is another matter.

I turn around and look down from the top of the stairs, and the view really is very beautiful. Not only is it arranged perfectly, there isn’t anything that stands out or doesn’t fit, either. The people on the street dress and look almost exactly the same, and there are only two or three changes in color. If it was in this country, even if someone only wore their sports uniform every day, they could still walk the streets proudly.

Just as I move my gaze back towards the castle—

A boy, junior elementary school age, scrambles over past the guard’s attempts at stopping him. His pale grey cloths are short, revealing pale
and bloodless arms and knees. The little boy suddenly bends down and uses a stone in his hand to draw a huge hexagon at his feet. Before the few soldiers can stop him, he’s already connected the line.

I’ve seen that shape before, and instinctively I press my left arm beneath my clothes. The scratches underneath my fingers that were almost healed start hurting again. That was the mark left by that shinzoku girl with her short nails before we parted, and it came with the mysterious word, ‘Venera’.

After the boy finishes drawing his hexagon, he starts singing. He sings a song I don’t understand in a slightly off-key voice. But the tune seems familiar to me—it’s a melody I know well.

“I feel as though… I heard it somewhere before.”

“I heard it too.”

“Then it has to be a Shin Makoku children’s song…”

“But it’s my first time hearing it.”

The two mazoku exchange their opinions, but the boy, meeting opposition, chooses to continue singing in an even louder voice.

The soldier’s actions are really rough—it’s just a boy doodling around, but three of them are sent to pin him to the ground.

“Hey…!”

“Don’t bully a little kid!”

Saralegui dashes up front even faster than I do, offering his hand to the boy gently, but as soon as he sees the dirty clothes and dusty hair, those beautifully manicured fingertips are immediately retracted.

“What! So it’s just a worthless little brat.”

“Sara?”

“Yuuri, ignore him. That’s the child of slaves.”

“Slaves… What are you saying, Saralegui! Such a small child is being handled violently, and you’re asking me to ignore him!? Don’t you see the army brutality!? Stop, let go of that kid…”

Just as I’m getting ready to push aside one of the guards, there’s a scream from behind the gathering crowd. Rather than fear, it’s more of a yell of disgust. The angry curses never stop, and add that to the horrible stench wafting around, the reason is quickly revealed.

As the crowd splits to the left and right, a trolley with a wooden bucket on top immediately tumbles down. The lid loosens off, and brown liquid spills onto the road. The intense odor makes it clear that that is ‘that thing’—though I don’t know if I should call it liquid organic fertilizer, or fertilizer distilled from feces.

Either way, everyone can’t use their noses to breathe at all.

The women’s screams urge the guards to rush over, and according to my own translation, they’re yelling, “Why is there a compost cart here!?” Next to the overturned cart there’s a petite person squatting there, head covered by a dirty hood. An old lady, looking extremely weak, raises her head as she’s scolded by the citizens and soldiers. The hair that’s plastered onto her forehead is too golden and bright, so it’s turned white. And it could be because of her too-advanced age, but her forehead and throat have obvious wrinkles.

She puts both palms on the cold floor, even peeking our way. Rather than saying she’s purposely looking at us, it’d be better to say her gaze just happens to move this way.

But in those zero point something seconds, Conrad, standing beside me, holds his breath in surprise, I know he’s holding back a name that almost escapes his lips, and he even grips his fist tightly. In a voice of surprise that the people can’t hear, he says,

“How is that possible…”

“Conrad?”

Just as I’m about to ask, “You guys know each other?”, I hear Saralegui interrupt my question in a tone of deep contempt,

“Stinky old hag!”

By the time we realized it, the boy had already made an escape when the old lady and her impressive stench distracted the guards. All that’s left is the symbol on the ground.

The hexagon like the one on my arm, a simple diamond sign.

1. Dejima was a small fan-shaped artificial island built in the bay of Nagasaki in 1634 by local merchants. It remained as the single place of direct trade and exchange between Japan and the outside world during the Edo period, built to constrain foreign traders as part of sakoku, the self-imposed isolationist policy. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dejima)

2. A famous surgeon and poet, apparently he got a scholarship to study in Germany. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mori_%C5%8Cgai)

3. A station along the Toei Ōedo Line, apparently.

4. Baumkuchen is a German variety of spit cake. It is a traditional pastry in many countries throughout Europe and is also a popular snack and dessert in Japan. The characteristic rings that appear when sliced resemble tree rings, and give the cake its German name, Baumkuchen, which translates to "tree cake". (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baumkuchen)

MaruMA:Volume11:Chapter 4

2015-05-16T06:33:07Z

Alaxxis Sade:

===Chapter 4===

A new dawn has arrived.

I mean yesterday’s dawn.

“Then does it still count as new?”

Josak, who’s swinging his arms together with me, interrupts from my side.

I’m sitting cross-kegged on the narrow lifeboat, happily stretching my arms and looking up into the sky. The sky above me is dusted with a thin veil of clouds, the sun playing peekaboo from between them—the weather has been like this since morning. Something worth being grateful for, is that now isn’t the time when the sun beats down on us from above, if we were hit directly by that kind of sun, we’d probably be long since dehydrated.

As for why—There’s no water onboard.

We’re drifting on a world of water called the ‘sea’, but there’s no fresh water that can wet our throats and sustain life within reach, and there isn’t any food either. If it was just a couple days, we can still handle it. For that, I have to be grateful that I usually get enough food, and I have quite a bit of meat on my stomach and thighs. For that, I have to grateful that this is a time of ample food, and be grateful for my muscles too.

To show gratitude to the muscles on me, I have to give them the appropriate stimuli regularly. It doesn’t matter if I’m currently in a narrow place where I can’t stand up whenever I want. If we don’t exercise more while we can move, our blood vessels will get obstructed and produce lactic acid. I want to at least move my upper body a bit, so I very diligently do radio aerobics(1), and recently I’ve even invented a sit-down version of the exercise on my own.

“It’s very important to do relaxing or stretching exercises, you know! It can also prevent us finally getting to go on holiday abroad, only to get economy class syndrome(2).”

The only one amongst us who has experienced air travel, Lord Weller, corrects me half-heartedly,

“You’re talking about a plane, but we’re on a boat now.”

“It’s basically the same, sheesh.”

My tone is so bad even I think it’s not very nice of me. Maybe it’s because he noticed the weird atmosphere between us? Saralegui creases his neat brows, saying,

“What is that weird exercise? Is it a mazoku habit? Waving your limbs like a monkey, how fascinating.”

“These are radio aerobics, you know. It’s normal if you’ve never seen it. In order to live an active and effective life, I do these every morning during my summer break!”

“Is that so—Then are those ‘Actie’ and ‘Effectie’ husband and wife?”

That, I don’t know.

“Yuuri, are you feeling uncomfortable? Are you seasick but pretending to be okay?”

“I’m fine, and I don’t feel uncomfortable anywhere, my body feels perfectly fine!”

“But why don’t I think so? Ah! Turns out you’re like me, whenever you’re in the sun or the sea breeze, the skin on your face and fingers get really dry.”

“Mmph!”

He leans over to caress my face, a hint of sadness in his eyes behind those pale-colored lenses.

“No wonder, we haven’t soaked in a bath for almost two days, there’s not even a chance for us to wash off the salt on our bodies with plain water. Ah~ how I wish I could soak in hot water full of medicinal properties, to let the warm steam open up my pores, and get rid of all the old filth. Yuuri thinks the same, right? Otherwise your skin will be just like that fake woman over there! No way, that’d be too much of a waste.”

“What did you say, hah?”

I see the muscles in Josak’s face twitching. Although doing so now is a bit weird, I still hastily squeeze in between the spy and the king from another country.

“B-but I was always a baseball boy that likes being in the sun, and loves outdoor activities, so this degree of sun is nothing! Don’t need to feel sorry for me, really. Gurrier has been stressed out a lot too, right? Because I’m just too useless, so you have to spend your mind and energy to take care of me, I’m so sorry.”

Lord Weller, with his arms on his knees supporting his chin, looks out into the waves with an expression of apathy. And the few Shou Shimaron crewmen stop their rowing actions to keep glancing our way. Since they’re already bone-dead exhausted, if they heard such a stupid conversation, they’d surely feel uneasy.

“Ah~ Sorry, let’s switch! I’ll go over there right now.”

When I move along the narrow boat with my waist bent low, Josak shrugs helplessly and follows me without a word. Although I volunteered to join the rowing team, but after four rounds even he’s run out of things to say.

The Shou Shimaron king Saralegui and his cargo ship crewmen, and the king’s guard Lord Weller, add that to Josak and I, and that makes the twelve of squeezed into this cramped lifeboat, drifting on the sea for an entire day. Yesterday evening when we escaped from the cargo ship, the land looked like it was just ahead. But once we really boarded a small boat without a sail, and move forward with only the power of a few people rowing, we finally realize that the distance hasn’t been shortening at all. Although we can see the brown land with our naked eyes, but the direction of the waves is the opposite of our rowing.

“But Sara, I know you really like baths, but can’t you have a bit of a sense of danger? Hey—your Majesty the King, do you know the current situation? We’re basically in a wreck!”

“Is that so—”

Saralegui hugs his cheeks with his palms, replying in the tone of someone unaware of the seriousness of the situation.

But the mastermind who lied to them that the cargo ship has a problem, and forced them into this situation, is yours truly.

In my sixteen years of life being unpopular with the ladies, forget being chased, I haven’t even experienced someone coming up to me of their own accord. Right now, though, because of my absurd lies, this group of men physically better than me by several times are drifting with me on foreign waters.

“Eh~ And we can already see the land, too.”

“Young Master, do you want to help row? Or will you just leave it to me? Can I please ask you to make a decision?”

“I’ll row, I’ll row, of course I’ll row. Although every time I row I might just be using the power of three swings.”

The pale brown land can only be seen the split second when the boat is lifted high by a wave, but at least we’re not drifting in the dead center of the Pacific, and our target is very obvious. I cheer myself up that way, and continue holding the wooden oars covered with splinters.

The orange-haired spy beside me blows a ‘hua-hua-puu—hua-hua-puu’ whistle as he deftly handles the oars. This rhythm seems sort of familiar. His pride-- those biceps, are also peeking out from underneath his rolled-up chef’s outfit. Doesn’t he feel cold? Even though I haven’t rolled up my sleeves, I feel cold, instead.

“How cold… If we go on like this, it’ll be even worse when the sun sets… Mn?”

I just happen to look around the ocean surface, and notice a white object surfacing from the waves, so I rub my eyes, which I can barely open in the sea breeze, and blurrily see someone’s arm.

Arm…? I let go of the oars and rub my eyes again to look closely. Using my 2.0 vision to carefully determine it, it really looks like a human arm, or I should say it simply is a human arm.

“Waa! This is bad, bad! Conrad, your arm, is your arm still there!?”

“It’s still here, Your Majesty?”

Before suspecting why there would be a human arm in the middle of the sea, I worry first about Lord Weller’s left arm, and he replies honestly too. Now isn’t the time to feel awkward.

“A-arm, arm, arm, arm, there’s an arm there!”

I use the exaggerated reaction of someone in a two-hour long detective series, pointing at the white thing, and by now the Shou Shimaron crewmen have started fidgeting as well. The base underneath that slender long forearm doesn’t seem to be affected by the waves, staying where it is without budging. Is this a horror film in the middle of the sea? Or a lonely water ballet solo!?

“Save them, first we must save them!”

Josak, a few of the crewmen and I grab the oars and start rowing desperately, the boat quickly dashes up to the arm, until we can clearly see that pale palm, but there aren’t any life lines on it.

“Should we say, ‘Hang in there, I’m coming to save you!’?”

“I don’t know… Ah, Young Master, really!”

“Waa!”

I shut my eyes tightly despite myself. The cold and bloated skin, feels like rubber to the touch, completely unlike a live human arm.

“It’s not a floating corpse, is it?”

“M-maybe. Eeeek—It feels, a little, disgusting—”

I don’t know what kind of funerals seamen have, but if you want me to let go of a hand I held and ignore it, I can’t do that either. Although I’m a little scared thinking of what may be under that arm, I still resist the terror and pull that arm.

That heavy and white arm gets closer and closer to the boat, Josak leans out to try and give me a hand, while some kind crewmen also try to observe what’s in the water from the side. Just as I’m about to exert more force and pull them up—

I make a very embarrassing scream, and try to let go of that right hand.

“What’s the matter!?”

“He’s grabbing me! This guy grabbed my hand… Waa!”

In that moment I am almost completely pulled into the sea, and I hastily grab the side of the lifeboat. Josak also hugs my waist in time, preventing me from being pulled under.

“Yuuri!”

Conrad yells in a nervous voice completely unlike him, and just as he’s running over here, the lifeboat starts swaying from side to side. In spite of myself, the ‘do not run on the boat’ warning flashes into my mind.

“No way, sheesh, it’s not working! Don’t hold my pants, hold my legs! Hold my legs tightly! Waa—my pants are gonna come off, my pants are gonna come off! I’m not a male stripper!”

“I know, ‘stripping’ is Gurrier’s job!”

“Your Majesty, please calm down. Those guys mean well.”

A warm hand touches my back, like comforting a child—it’s a familiar touch to me.

“Those guys?”

I’m pulled by a strong force until my entire face is almost plastered to the ocean surface, and I finally see the countless creatures in the water. A school of fish the size of tuna with sparkling silver scales, are fanning past the blue water and swimming, carefree.

By swimming, I mean swimming with their deft limbs.

“Fish have arms and legs…”

“Maidmer princesses.”

The owner of the arm lets go of my hand and jumps out of the water, the violent leap splashing water into the boat. He has a pair of legs too, no, judging from the white and soft legs, that was probably a ‘she’.

“But those guys with a lot of leg hair, are they male maidmer princesses?”

“No, they’re manmer lords. Their people need a long time to grow limbs, and then they change from fish-shaped to humanoid.”

“That should count as an evolution, right? Speaking of which, last time I carried one in the Shin Makoku sewers, huh? Or should I say it was a maidmer princess.”

Back then I thought she was Murata.

“Oh~ If that’s the case…”

The maidmer princesses and manmer lords wave their hands in the blue and clear water, and caught within the current that they created, the lifeboat is already moving towards the land at a fairly smooth speed.

“They must be here to repay Your Highness’ kindness.

“…Don’t call me Your Majesty”

I suddenly regain my sanity, and say so as I move my gaze to somewhere else, I’m scared to look at his face.

My wet fringe is plastered tightly to my forehead, making me uncomfortable, so I simply push it upwards, and the seawater that drips down has a piercing smell of the sea.

“Your ‘Your Majesty’ isn’t me, right.”

My voice has suddenly become very stiff, and Lord Weller’s curt answer is as cold as ice.

“I apologize… in my haste I didn’t notice.”

After saying that, he turns and returns to Saralegui’s side. Josak mutters with his mouth slanted sideways, his tone and voice full of contempt,

“What a bother~ Such a draggy man, my Young Master is a lot manlier than you.”

How am I manly?

“Don’t make me laugh!”

If my will was strong enough, no matter what others call me, I should be able to reply with a laugh, right? It’s exactly because I’m narrowed-hearted that I reacted that way, if I knew how to think for others, then I wouldn’t be blowing off on any little thing.

I put all my strength into waving my arms, offering my gratitude to the maidmer princesses and the manmer lords. This time they will definitely send us to Seisakoku!

There’s nowhere better to take a foreign lady in a kimono with what looks like koi embroidery out for a walk than the Narita Airport in the late night.

Anyway, no one will report the police here. And clueless foreigners are just like those Japanese tourists with glasses and a camera hanging around their necks, not rare in the slightest.

“In other words, isn’t that super rare!?”

Even the comedy couples from Yoshimoto Kogyo(3) don’t wear such extravagant kimonos anymore.

Shibuya Shouri pushes his glasses up his nose, telling everyone they meet,

“Not me! I’m not this woman’s partner!”

But in the midnight airport after a typhoon, no one bothers with him at all. That sense of emptiness leaves him feeling horrible.

As for the clueless lady who’s putting on a show of walking beside him, whenever she brushes against any pedestrian, she will fold her palms together and bow.

“Are you a spy sent here by the Shaolin Temple?”

“What—are you saying--? The Japanese are all very polite. The way of GAY(4) is the way of the geisha, which is to ‘begin with a bow and end with a bow’, right?”

Shouri, with the future of Tokyo on his shoulders, looks skywards and heaves a sigh. Why do they spread such misconceptions about Japan? Quentin Tarantino has to bear responsibility for this!

“Wait a sec, Graves, don’t talk to strangers with that weird Japanese of yours! It’ll only make them more troubled.”

“OH—Japanese people shouldn’t be so cold. And Shouri, don’t call me Graves, please call me Abby, Abby. NO NO NO NO NO, LOOK ME, LOOK MY MOUSE. A-bby, please say A-bby.”

“This isn’t the Wicky(5) era anymore!”

The American sitting in the VIP lounge, Abigail Graves in her unique kimono, has stuck with him like glue ever since she found out Shouri is Bob’s friend. Shouri tried to contact Bob with his phone, but it’s as though Bob was sealed in a heavy lead box, because there’s no response at all. Just when he’s thinking that all he can do now is lead her near a taxi, forcefully send her to Narita Airport, and was planning on walking straight to the exit—

Abigail continuously holds back the people passing by, and then keeps on greeting them in her imperfect Japanese. Hearing her Japanese mixed with 10% vulgar content, Shouri finally loses it and yells,

“Speak in English! This is really embarrassing!”

As a result Abigail suddenly says in a teaching material tone,

“I don’t wanna, your English is like the Teletubbies.”

“The Teletubbies can’t talk, and compared to your half-assed Japanese that’s much… Whoa!”

Bob is finally replying, and Shouri picks up his phone enthusiastically.

“Bob, what’s going on here? Why is your guest here? If this wasn’t an astronomical coincidence, causing me to bump into her, this koi might have waited for you in the airport lounge until she turned to stone!”

‘You’re exaggerating, JUNIOR.’

Shouri tsks in dissatisfaction, indicating to Bob not to call him that.

‘I’m waiting for Rodriguez, but he’s not here yet.’

“I don’t care if you’re waiting for Rodriguez or Madriros, I’m telling you to talk to her!”

Abigail Graves widens her eyes and stares at him for a while, then accept the phone Shouri hands her. And then her voice suddenly goes higher—

“OH—Bapu!”

“Not Bapu, why is it Bapu!”

Standing beside someone speaking their mother tongue at four times the seed, the elite student who successfully passed the English proficiency test is dying. Maybe it’s because her speaking speed is naturally especially fast, so he can only understand a few nouns he recognizes. She’s not arguing it out with Bob, but instead she chats for several minutes in an intimate tone. Before returning the phone to Shouri, she even laughs out loudly at something Bob said.

“You and the driver, who’s coming to pick her up?”

‘That’s impossible, Shibuya.’

Bob’s next suggestion is far beyond his imagination.

“You want me—to be her host!?

Shouri repeats in a tone of disbelief, “You want me—to host this woman?” His brows even droop into a figure eight (八).

‘That’s right, Shouri. Abby is my guest, but you know, because of your little brother’s emergency situation, I forgot that she arrives in Japan today. So sorry, but before Ken goes to where you are, can you please help me host her? Isn’t receiving visitors the basic ability of the Japanese working class?”

“Stop joking, Bob! It’s against electoral law for the governor to host or be hosted by anybody! And even if that’s not the case, I don’t want to have anything to do with a fake geisha who’s like a B-grade movie actress! Besides, if I take her around, what’ll happen if anyone mistakes us for lovers!? The hell I’m doing this! And even more besides, how old is this fella? For all I know she’s just a high school student(6)! Even if it’s not so bad, she’s still a HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT, right? I don’t want to break Tokyo laws!”

‘Aren’t you a citizen of the Saitama prefecture?’

The Maou of the financial world calmly corrects the older Shibuya brother, who’s screaming until his voice is hoarse.

“N-no matter what it won’t work, I still want to go the Niagara Falls in a moment. And I don’t have the money to deal with an heiress who can go around the world while still a high school student… Ah!”

The call was cut, and no matter how he dialed it wouldn’t go through. The image of a man in sunglasses cackling on the other end of the phone immediately floats into his mind. He must feel like he’s managed to get a hot iron off his hands.

“Hey, Graves, let me just make this clear to you!”

Having no choice but to keep his phone into his pocket, Shibuya Shouri once again turns around to face Abigail. Although from her point of view this trip has been unfortunate from the start, but right now all he can do is ask her to tour Tokyo on her own.

“I don’t have the sweet time to bring you around, because my brother’s matter is more important. After you go back to your country, you can bring your boyfriend to TDL (Tokyo Disney Land), USJ (Universal Studios Japan), or Edo Wonderland. Remember to take a picture with Nyanmage, okay? Americans who always put their family first would agree, right?”

“NONO, there aren’t Nyanmages in Boston. What happened to your brother, by the way?”

“That has nothing to do with you, but due to certain reasons I have to get to Niagara and make it flow backwards. As for you, just find a hotel nearby for the night! As long as you bring out Bob’s name you should be able to book a room.”

The phone in his front pocket, suddenly starts vibrating, and the blue light on it flickers non-stop—There’s a mail from the service provider’s inbox coming this way.

Subject: Seen the BBS

Abigail looks at the plasma screen, reading out the words on it loudly,

“See, BBS… Bong! Ow, that hurt!”

“Don’t just read the words you know!”

I’ve seen your message, Niagara doesn’t seem too possible… But why would you want to make it flow backwards? Are you planning some ultimate magic to do with water? Seems like Paint-and-Build Sex Toy’s interests are pretty vast, huh—But right now I’m not talking about the waterfall, I’m talking about the UMA (Unidentified Mysterious Animal) that’s been sighted a lot recently in the Swiss Bodensee(7), that may be an omen that the Alps are going to erupt. (Because the Alps aren’t volcanoes, lol) I wonder, can this count as a type of miscellaneous study?

“Hey, hey! I’m looking for an impact as big as a nuclear explosion, not some Bossy(8) or M’Boma(9)!”

But the one watching his every move isn’t the media, it’s Abigail.

“There’s something weird with Bodensee? Crap, since you mentioned Bodensee, I can’t stay out of this any longer. I have to report this to Mummy! But why would the Japanese find out about Bodensee so quickly?”

“You just keep saying ‘Boden, Boden’, were you sent here by the ice-cream company(10)? What’s the matter, Graves, don’t tell me you got a mansion there too?”

“Nah, Mummy said something super scary is sleeping in that lake. Right, and of course I don’t mean a hibernating giraffe.”

Once the topic gets serious, she switches to her mother tongue, but only at twice the speed, so it’s easier to understand.

“I don’t know if it’s real or not, but I heard that if the seal is broken, it will cause serious damage to the world, so it seems to be a super scary thing. Old pal, that’s all I know.”

Abigail beckons to Shouri, bringing her lips to his ear,

“In World War II, the Nazis once coveted that power too! I heard that back then, to prevent it from falling into those guys’ hands, my great grandmother sank it to the bottom of Bodensee.”

“What kind of a person was your great grandmother?”

“Oh, dear!”

Abigail Graves ignores the fact that she’s wearing a kimono, opening her legs wide, bending one knee slightly, raising her right hand into the sky, while her empty left hand is put on her waist. Suddenly it’s a nostalgic, perfect Travolta pose.

“We Graves are generations of treasure hunters, you know!”

But Shouri’s head is full of ‘even the Nazis coveted that power’, not caring at all about what treasure hunters. Compared to making the world’s number one waterfall flow backwards, wouldn’t that power be more likely to fulfill his wish?

Switzerland, huh… Then he must immediately cancel the waiting list seat, and change it to Europe. Wait a second, what is the common language in Switzerland? Can he communicate even without using English? And their currency isn’t a Mark or a Franc, but a Euro, huh? One Euro equals to how many Japanese yen, he doesn’t know … But Shouri does know that one Yuuri equals to one younger brother(11).

Abigail continues talking to Shouri, whose head is already full of the European plan,

“PS. I’m a cheerleader and a treasure hunter!”

PPS. ‘Paint-and-Build Sex Toy’ is Shouri’s username—But he doesn’t want his own brother to know that.

1. Something about NHK airing these aerobic exercises since 1928

2. Economy class syndrome: The formation of blood clots in veins deep within the legs occurring during a long airplane flight, especially in economy class where there is the least space allotted per passenger and ones legs tend especially to be immobilized for lack of leg room. (http://www.medicinenet.com/script/main/art.asp?articlekey=15872)

3. Yoshimoto Kogyo is a major Japanese entertainment conglomerate, with its headquarters based in Osaka. It was founded in 1912 as a traditional theatre, and has since grown to be one of the most influential companies in Japan, employing most of Japan's popular owarai (comedy) talent, producing and promoting the shows they appear in, and even maintaining its own amusement park. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yoshimoto_Kogyo)

4. By Gay she means ‘Gei’, as in geisha, meaning art X’D

5. Anton Wicky was apparently an English language educator on TV in Japan. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anton_Wicky)

6. I think here he uses ‘koukou sei’, ‘senior’ high school student in Japan as opposed to ‘junior high school’, and the American ‘high school’ which covers both.

7. A lake near Switzerland and Germany. Those who have read the Ojou-sama gaiden would understand its significance, heh. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lake_Constance)

8. An ice hockey player… (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mike_Bossy)

9. …and a football player… (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Patrick_M%27Boma)

10. …and the Lady Borden Ice-Cream brand. Sigh, Shouri and these references…

11. Euro is probably pronounced ‘Yuu-ro’ here, pretty close to Yuuri.

MaruMA:Volume11:Chapter 4

2015-05-16T06:32:18Z

Alaxxis Sade: Created page with "===Chapter 4=== A new dawn has arrived. I mean yesterday’s dawn. “Then does it still count as new?” Josak, who’s swinging his arms together with me, interrupts ..."

MaruMA:Volume11:Chapter 3

2015-05-14T07:06:06Z

Alaxxis Sade: Created page with "===Chapter 3=== That’s enough of these sea descriptions! Since I’m not a poet, how can I think of pretty words to describe the beauty of the sky, waves and boats! Alth..."

===Chapter 3===

That’s enough of these sea descriptions!

Since I’m not a poet, how can I think of pretty words to describe the beauty of the sky, waves and boats! Although Wolfram is very dissatisfied, he’s still forced to follow the secret seasickness cure Lord von Christ taught him.

“Two hundred and twenty-one… the beautiful, sea… Mmph! Damn you, Günter, it’s not working at all! Two hundred and twenty-two… the mother of all life, the sea. Stupid Günter, just you wait until I get back! I’ll put Kiku by your pillow-side every night!”

And he doesn’t forget to scold him either.

“I’ve used everything from my father to my great-grandfather a hundred times by now, right? Then four hundred and twenty-three… The sea, like my granduncle, hai… hahph!”

“Don’t you feel like you suddenly have a lot more relatives?”

“That’s right, and I’m tired of praising the sea! How can something as useless as this help me on a happy, relaxed oceanic journey! Besides, I didn’t volunteer to join the navy, it’s only natural that I’d get seasick!”

“Poor Excellency. Your body and your spirit may have grown, but the snails in your ears are exactly the same.”

Hearing her commander, who’s younger than her, scold her adopted father with all he’s worth, not only is Lady von Christ Gisela not angry at all, she even comforts him.

“The snails in my ears? Mm—ph, what is that?”

“Oh dear! Don’t you know? Everyone has a snail in their ears. The reason people get seasick, carsick, or dizzy when riding a horse, is because that snail is in a bad mood and throws a tantrum. If it’s slightly more serious, it will even bite away the membrane in your ear canals, and suck up all the owner’s brain juices! That way it’s not just a matter of vomiting and dizziness, even your brain juices will leak out of your ears!”

Wolfram’s expression changes visibly, and he instinctively raises his hands to press on his head, yelling,

“D-don’t say such disgusting things! It must be that, what you call folk tales, right?”

Gisela shakes her head with an expression of deep regret,

“No. The mini snail in Your Excellency’s ear is scampering around right now.”

“Then according to you, what will happen to me now!?”

Wolfram, who never took the medical training courses in the army, definitely has no idea that the Sergeant is best known for her ‘unreal medical horror stories’. Facing an innocent reaction that she hasn’t seen in a long time, Gisela can’t help but smile.

“Actually you don’t have to act so tragic about it, all you have to do is cheer it up a bit and you’ll be fine. Please temporarily forget your nervousness about this journey, relax your shoulders, and then the snail will calm down too. Why don’t you go with that bunch of… No, why don’t you try mixing with the crowd, and temporarily forget the worries in your heart?”

Lower down on the deck, some off-duty soldiers are passionately interacting with the Caloria reinforcements. That’s putting it nicely, the truth is the cabin door is wide open, and they’re having a huge beer party whether or not there’s a roof above their heads. And now it seems to have gone past a mild haze, because there are drunks all over the ground. Some are hugging their bottles of beer and lying on the deck, while others are sitting cross-legged on wooden buckets full of pure water and lecturing yet others.

Looking down at this peaceful scene, Wolfram’s brow is creased in exactly the same way as his brother.

“A bunch of drunks!”

“Don’t tell me you’re not good at interacting with uncles?”

“This has nothing to do with age. You see, they’re the humans sent by Caloria, right? But the soldiers on our ship have mixed with them in such an unsightly manner. Unforgivable. It’s so unseemly! They have no self-awareness as mazoku at all!”

Indeed, the men stacked on top of each other on the deck, are not differentiated into mazoku and humans at all. Mixed into a mess like this, the only way to tell them apart is by their outfits. Most of the ones in uniform are mazokus, but some of them are in plain clothes too.

“That guy drunk out of his wits, is it Adalbert?”

“It seems like it… Goodness! He’s hugging the railing and crying! I don’t know whose name he’s calling, but just thinking about it is disgusting. Speaking of which, old boy Grantz was always known for his bad alcohol tolerance.”

“He can’t drink!?”

“That’s right, and there are rumors that he can’t stomach it well either.”

Just imagining the muscleman losing it after a few drinks, makes Wolfram uncomfortable again. Will he uproot a huge tree and start swinging it above his head, knocking down some houses in the process? Or will he break into a small house with livestock, and then grab a horse’s or a cow’s tail… How scary, and so his face gets paler and paler.

As expected of Gisela, not only does she watch Wolfram, who’s imagining a crazy drunk Grantz, expressionlessly, she’s also remembering the rumors on the street about Lord von Bielefeld at the same time. He may look cute, but he has a shocking alcohol tolerance, and he doesn’t go crazy after he gets drunk either, could that be true? She wants to verify the validity of this rumor. Compared to that adopted father of hers, who strips stark naked, wears his underwear on his head and starts dancing madly whenever he drinks, she wonders, who’ll be more fun when they’re drunk?

“So you let him go in a one-on-one battle?”

Adalbert is in such a great mood that his eyes are all narrowed as he raises his hand and waves it wildly in front of his face.

“Amongst the soldiers on the losing side, there was a young man who obviously looks like a child, but had a very thick beard. His beard was especially weird, so I pulled him out for a closer look—That man was Maxine. I was going to say that his short mustache looks like it was drawn on, but then I realized it really was drawn on with brown colors! He drew a beard on his face!? A fourteen-year-old brat had such a thick mustache, he really beat me there! So I asked him why, and he said, ‘Because it looks cooler like this.’ And his hairstyle was really weird too, because he made this place like this.”

Adalbert puts down the beer bottle, raises both his hands and starts groping around his ears.

“He cropped the whole part upwards! As for the curly hairs that were left, he left them long and tied them into a ponytail, the reason also being, ‘It looks cooler like this.” Anyway, his look was to draw his beard really thick, and the crop his hair on both sides upwards. Goodness—It was so weird, it made him seem old-fashioned! It made me want to determine if his hair on the lower part of his body is also that thick, and also cropped upwards!”

He flicks his messy blonde hair, laughing loudly. Hearing his vulgar joke and laughter, Dacascos lowers his head in disappointment. Goodness~. The image of the General among the Ten Nobles that the people idolized so much, slowly falling apart before his eyes. Turns out Lord von Christ Günter isn’t the only noble who fell.

“So you guys met under such hilarious circumstances…”

“That’s right, anyway he was laughed at by our entire team to no end, and then, since he was so funny, we decided to open one eye, close one eye, and let him go… Wait a second! Thinking about it, our country is too nice to our prisoners of war, they came all the way across the ocean from another continent, you know! Compared to the way we’re isolated in Shimaron, I can’t help but want to tell him sarcastically, ‘Our prisoners of war practically live in paradise.’ For all you know, a lowly soldier like him would have been happier and more relaxed staying as a prisoner here, than escaping back to his country alone.”

“Should I call him lucky, or unlucky?”

“That’s what’s interesting about him. But what’s even more surprising is that later when we faced off against Shou Shimaron soldiers again, for some reason all the soldiers had exactly the same beard and hairstyle as Maxine. And regardless of age, too. Maybe they want to get his luck, too. But the truth is the real reason behind it is that his beard is too hilarious, so we generously let him go. If no one said this out loud, no one will know. For all we know, he was idolized as a war god or a hero back home! Aiya—that time we were laughing so hard we couldn’t fight!”

“I-is that so—So the reason their entire army crops the hair on both sides upwards, has such a shocking truth behind it… Hehehe—”

Dacascos touches the world’s simplest and beautiful head, and then sighs deeply.

“So the legend that man will never die, is partly due to me. Only, Nigel doesn’t seem to have any recollection that we met when he was young.”

Adalbert grabs the beer bottle Dacascos left beside him and start chugging it down. Since his doctor and his wife restricted him, he hasn’t drunk in a long time.

“Milord really likes them, huh?”

“Huh? Like? Like what?”

“Likes the humans.”

The seamen’s favorite strong beer seems to be almost burning his throat.

“Your Excellency must really like the humans, huh? Otherwise normal soldiers or someone like me, who doesn’t fight, would never hear of the truth behind our superior officers. Mostly they’re just slips of the mouth or rumors spreading everywhere, and we can only guess using our imagination. May I ask, Your Excellency, who can be called the descendant of a famous family… Master Adalbert, why on earth would you suddenly abandon our country and follow the humans? Because there are many explanations: Such as someone bought intel about Shin Makoku from you with a large sum of money, or you fell in love with a human girl, everyone can only make such base, old-fashioned guesses…”

Sitting on the deck, Dacascos puts his head between his knees, just like a girl worrying about love. The back of his head and neck are both very red, looks like he really is drunk.

“You like humans, right?”

“What!? What are you saying? Of course not!”

Having heard a completely unrelated reason, Adalbert is so worked up he waves both hands around wildly.

“You like them, so you don’t want to fight them… It must be that.”

“What are you talking nonsense about!? I hate those mazokus who watched Lady von Wincott die without doing a thing, I want nothing more than to see this cruel country fall to pieces… that’s why I’m using the humans…”

“Recently that’s what I thought to.”

Dacascos brings the thin bottle neck to his mouth again, but it’s empty inside, so all he can do is wipe his lips and chin with his fist. The injury he got while working in the kitchen us almost completely healed, but right now it’s pricking painfully.

“Since we were young, we were thought that humans are the enemy, and they must surely hate and fear mazokus too. Even if we’re walking alone on the streets of a neighboring, friendly country, we’ll have rocks thrown at us, so if we head towards faraway Shimaron, we’ll definitely get even worse treatment—that’s something everyone knows. Like when Your Excellency was travelling alone, you must definitely have faced unhappy incidents because of your identity as a mazoku, right? Because mazokus and humans are enemies and we even had a war not long ago, and if we’re not careful we might start another war soon. Because they’re the enemy… probably. Although I only got the most basic education, even my neighbor’s kid knows something like this. But—but, Your Excellency…”

The young king’s face floats into Dacascos’s mind, and just thinking that he isn’t onboard this ship upsets him. Because there are some things he wants to hear from him.

He really wants to ask, ‘But, Your Majesty…’

Dacascos puts his chin on his knees, where the bones are clearly visible, and looks out into the dark and calm sea.

“Please listen to me, recently I suddenly got this idea. It’s just an idea, that maybe they’re all good people.”

Sitting on the ground, Adalbert kicks away the beer bottles and makes a sound.

“Because I was lucky enough to stay by His Majesty’s side, I got to know some humans… like Mr. Hyscliff, Lady Flynn and Mr. Fanfan, they may be humans, but they’re good people! I especially respect Mr. Hyscliff, his shiny head is my target! And Miss Greta may be the princess of Shin Makoku, but she used to be the child of humans, you know! But she’s really cute~. Although my kid is really cute too, just mentioning the young miss makes me remember her cheerful personality!”

Whenever petite little Greta runs past, the dark and gloomy castle corridors seem to lighten up. Whenever she calls His Majesty and His Excellency Wolfram, everyone working in the castle will raise their heads, and smile subconsciously.

“Although they’re humans, they’re all good people. I just can’t figure it out, why are these good people our enemies? Recently it’s bothered me so much my hair is falling out.”

Even Dacascos himself doesn’t know who he should talk about this to. He reaches his hand for his temples where the veins are vaguely showing, and presses them lightly with his fingers.

“But to really get to the bottom of the matter, it could be because we lost friends on the battlefield, and lost brothers in the war. If I ask the Sergeant, Gurrier or Captain Sizemore, I’ll definitely get a more serious answer; but if I ask His Majesty, I’ll get, ‘what are you talking about, Dacascos, isn’t that obvious!’ as an answer, he may even pat my head!”

There’s other country in this world where the king will pat a low-rank soldier’s head. But His Majesty is just that unique, so much so that we’re changing quickly too.

“Ever since His Majesty appeared, a lot of things have changed.”

Kicking away the third beer bottle with his feet, Adalbert asks in a low voice,

“That brat… the one called Yuuri, what kind of a king is he exactly?”

“A-about that… he’s really impressive you know! His Majesty is really special.”

Dacascos desperately tries to use all his vocabulary to praise Yuuri, but no matter how he squeezes his brain, no matter how beautifully he describes him, the feeling that comes across is very ordinary. Faced without any other choice, he repeats ‘impressive’ and ‘special’ again, pauses for a moment and then adding,

“But recently… I feel as though he’s forcing himself a little.”

“Why would you say so?”

“I-I can’t describe it very well, but sometimes I feel that he may be too tired. But that’s to be expected! After all, it’s not easy to rule an entire country, and he was so young when he rose to the throne too. No matter what it is he’s doing, if he wasn’t trained for it beforehand, or if he doesn’t have a certain amount of experience, it’ll definitely be very hard for him. Did you know? His Majesty is only sixteen!”

“Sixteen, huh…”

Although Adalbert doesn’t say it out loud, his gaze is floating, as though determining this number.

“Exactly! Like when I was sixteen, I may have had more hair than I do now, but I couldn’t even tell the difference between an octopus and a branch! But His Majesty really has the aura of a king—Although I’m not that devout in my religion, but I have no choice but to believe that Lord Shinou is protecting us from beyond the grave, that’s why he chose such an appropriate person to ascend the throne.”

“Although he’s only sixteen, I heard that his love life is really colorful! I don’t know if it’s true or false, but I heard that he got engaged to the previous Maou’s third prince a long time ago?”

“That’s right, that’s true. That’s why His Excellency Günter’s nose ran like a river, and he cried while biting onto his handkerchief! But most of the people are happy to see it. In the bet for His Majesty’s affections, His Excellency Wolfram is rather popular too. But that’s unsurprising, since they’re such a good match! Aiya, like that time when the two of them were hiding together in the fruit carton, I thought they were some foreign dolls and couldn’t look away! But I spent three month’s worth of salary to bet on His Excellency Günter—I’ll just take it as my congratulatory present for them.”

Dacascos imagines his superior officer’s crying face every night, as he counts the amount of lottery money he got. This way he can finally pay off the loans and his kid’s tuition fees… Maybe he can still let his wife stop working for His Excellency Gwendal, so he can have a hot meal waiting for him when he gets home. Just because he was imagining such a scene, he instinctively answers Adalbert’s question.

“Is he happy?”

“Very—Ah! That’s not right, you’re referring to His Majesty, right!? I don’t know if he’s happy, but at least he looks very cheerful.”

“Is that so?”

After that Adalbert falls silent, not saying anything at all, and not desperately hugging the railing while yelling a certain someone’s name either, turning into a quiet, sullen drunk.

“Hey~~ Dacchan-san! Come over here and drink with us--! Captain Mountain Range wants to tell you stories of the Seisakoku holy temple--!”

Hearing the calls from the Calorian reinforcements onboard with them, Dacascos hastily gets up.

The reinforcements onboard under orders of Flynn Gilbit are all experienced mercenaries. The man like his name, Captain Mountain Range, always has a yellowed skull on his knee, and other than calling it ‘Little Pot’, he even talks to it. To others, be it the scars on his face and arms, or his scary appearance and fierce gaze, fill people with a sense of fear. But normally he is indeed a stable man, and well-loved by his men. And the comrades around him are all rather unusual men too, but since Yuuri helped their country through a crisis, they’re not too against mazokus.

Surely they’re most respected mistress, Flynn Gilbit must have spent a lot of time convincing them, huh?

Even they must surely find this unbelievable.

But Dacascos still walks slowly into this group of people that can share these doubts.

Kotsuhizoku shed their skin.

There has always been a veil of mystery surrounding their unique form of life, one that no one can reveal to this day. People can’t tell which part of them is skin, and which part is bone, or even whether their body has a ‘torso’. Kotsuhizoku and kotsuchizoku sometimes stay in the dark and cold ground, while at other times they discard their old shell in the dry desert, becoming a completely new creature.

On a side note, there’s absolutely no way to tell the difference from the surface.

The ‘Happy-Happy Bone Puzzle’ is a product made of the useless parts kotsuchizoku don’t use any more after molting, or when kotsuhizoku put themselves back together after crashing and find a spare piece from goodness knows where. It counts as a recyclable and safe toy, and is highly recommended by the Shin Makoku Child Education Committee.

The advanced level of playing with ‘Happy-Happy Bone Puzzles’ is to find a combination that fits perfectly together from tens of thousands of bones. Lucky kids can find them within hours, but there are also some who can’t find them even after they’re all grown up. Though most children get tired of it before putting it together, abandoning the ‘Happy-Happy Bone Puzzle’ to think of other games by themselves, thereby saying farewell to their childhood.

Greta is no exception.

Although she’s returned to Blood Pledge Castle, she can’t find anyone to play with her, so all she can do is stay in her adopted father’s spacious room and obediently play with the bones alone.

She’s already tired of ‘Playing House of Bones’ and ‘Stack the Bones’, and she’s even measured the bone density of the larger pieces. The instruction manual said that ‘Happy-Happy Bone Puzzles’ can build a pirate ship or a haunted castle, but the little girl who lives in a real castle, and has gone sailing around in a royal sailboat, doesn’t find any excitement in even the picture of the completed sample.

Greta heaves a sigh that doesn’t fit her age, and then puts the palm-sized bone to her ear as though it were a shell.

“Wow~~ There are graveyard sounds—”

She hears the screaming of the winds, a terrified dog howling, and the creaking of a rusted iron door. The rustling of the branches adds to the ominous atmosphere even more. Tomb raiders use a cross-shaped shovel to sig out a coffin, opening the coffin lid to get the treasure map…

“Waa!”

Hearing something like a murmur by her ear, Greta is shocked into throwing the bone puzzle piece onto the ground. But the bone piece doesn’t break on impact, seems like it’s actually rather sturdy.

“Just now… I think someone said something…”

She did indeed hear something like a voice talking. After a moment’s hesitation, she carefully picks it up again, and brings it to her ear. It really isn’t the graveyard sound effect, but a certain special language. Not only are all the pronunciations completely different from the language she uses, there’s even a very heavy accent, so she can’t understand a thing.

“Could this be what Yuuri meant by ‘bone-static’?”

Greta hurriedly gathers up all the bones, wrapping them up in her blanket and carrying them out of the room. At times like these, look for the Poison Lady! There shouldn’t be anything Anissina doesn’t know!

“Anissina… Eh?”

She roughly kicks the door open with one foot, just in time to see the two silhouettes that were huddled closely together immediately separate.

“Eh?”

The one who jumped backwards was Lord von Voltaire Gwendal; the owner of the room, Lady von Karbelnikoff Anissina didn’t move a finger.

There’s a bubbling green liquid on the table again, while Kiku, now just an empty shell, sits on the book shelf. The room looks no different than a normal research lab.

And yet the atmosphere in the room is completely different from usual.

“We—ird--?”

Gwendal freezes in the stance of someone jumping away, but his expression is starting to change.

“Were you guys huddling together just now?”

“W-w-w-w-we were doing an experiment!”

Maybe it’s because it’s a forced answer, his tone becomes completely different. The ten-year-old girl, on the other hand, looks at the man twice as tall as her suspiciously.

“Could it be that you were in the middle of doing that thing that Beatrice's father and mother do so often, a love-making experiment?

“Ah, no, it’s n-n-n-n-n-n-not what you think—”

Too suspicious, just looking at it it’s suspicious. Hugging the blanket, Greta approaches the two step by step. She cannot forgive any man who tries to abduct Anissina, just because he’s Gwendal doesn’t mean he can make a move on the Poison Lady.

As for Anissina, she’s staring wide-eyed and mouth hanging at Gwendal’s expression of panic, the words ‘men are so useless’ almost escaping from her lips.

“Gwendal, look at you, flustered like this, why didn’t you just reject me from the start? Greta, Lord von Voltaire was almost going to cry just now. He’s so nervous because you saw him in such a humiliating state. He said before, rather than to let a woman see him cry, he would rather stuff his head into the bathtub—It’s just a few tears, and he’s already saying such stupid things. The way I see it, he might even think that there are men who never cried from the day they were born!”

“Gwen, why would you cry?”

“Regarding His Majesty and Wolfram’s matter, didn’t Lord von Voltaire plan to head for Seisakoku as soon as possible as well?”

Günter, who was chosen as the ambassador to Shou Shimaron, was forced to separate from Yuuri and Wolfram, who had stowed away, by unforeseen circumstances, so now Yuuri was travelling to Seisakoku alone with the Shou Shimaron king. Saralegui seemed like a good person at first glance, but as his motives become clearer and clearer, he’s no longer a safe travel companion. Although Wolfram should be on his way to catch up with them, but his power alone can’t do much, so they really need reinforcements. Even if Gwendal, with his powerful maryoku, can’t quite lead the army onto land, he can never stand by and do nothing.

“However, we don’t have any information on Seisakoku in our hands at all—be it maps, drawings, or documents, none have anything useful. Therefore, we are completely clueless regarding what goes in within their borders. For future reference, we want to do what we can to collect detailed intel, so I want to use Gwendal, who will soon set foot in Seisakoku, to record the information from within Seisakoku borders.”

Anissina, with her passion for research, would never give up this opportunity, of course.

“I plan on opening a hole in Lord von Voltaire’s skull, and then bury the ma-powered surveillance device, ‘Honest Mary’… But he seems to be very afraid of that surgery.”

“Before talking about whether I was afraid or not, there is a medical ethical problem here, don't you think?!”

Anissina snorts at Gwendal’s tearful retort, and points at his forehead with her neatly-manicured fingernail,

“Ethics? You’re talking ethics with me, in front of these ma-powered devices… Oh, my! Greta, what’s that bundle in your hands that looks like plunderage?”

Only then does the girl seem to remember something, spreading the blanket onto the ground.

“My, my, how nostalgic! These are ‘Oh! Stack the Bones High’, huh. Back then I used to collect a huge pile of used parts, trying to create a manmade kotsuhizoku!”

Another evil game to do with medical theories.

“These are called ‘Happy-Happy Bone Puzzles’ now, you know!”

“How did the name become so slapdash… Oh, right! Greta, there are many small pieces in the Bone High, if you don’t put them in a special jar it’s really easy to lose them!”

“Not that! Listen to me—Greta just received bone-statics, you know!?”

Gwendal pushes aside Greta’s fringe with his large hand, touching her forehead.

“Greta doesn’t have a fever!”

“Then why would you receive what-statics… Greta, listen carefully, there aren’t any aliens in this world, and even if there are, they won’t contact you every time.”

“Who are the aliens? The men?”

“We are aliens, and sometimes male and female in one.”

Anissina straightens her hand to look like a blade, and knocks her throat as she makes a weird noise.

“Don’t simply pick up the way His Majesty talks!”

“That’s not it, I’m not talking about ‘Close Encounters’ or ‘ET’, this is real! Greta really received bone-statics! I heard a kotsuhizoku’s soul scream!”

Even if she’s only repeating word for word what she heard from her father who grew up on Earth, but when it comes to the unknown creatures out there, she’s still more knowledgeable than more kids her age. However what she heard just now was the sound of something living in this world, and not the X-Files Yuuri was talking about. To convince these two, Greta desperately waves her little fist.

“But even mazoku can only hear the kotsuhizoku’s mind transmissions after training for it. Technically, Greta, who never saw kotsuhizoku, shouldn’t have this ability…”

“But you’re not Dacascos--!”

“Gwendal, you can’t deny something just with your instincts and logic.”

Anissina looks sideways at an uneasy Gwendal condescendingly, and then, from the almost-crying Greta’s feet, she picks up a palm-sized bone, cocks her head slightly, bringing the bone to her left ear.

“Although common sense says it’s impossible, but Greta may very well be a language genius Poison Lady who only shows up once every thousand years… Mm-mm?”

She makes a grunt that doesn’t fit her appearance, cocking her head even further, one of her pretty eyebrows going upwards.

“Mm-mm-mm-mm-mm-mm? I actually hear something. Sounds different from the rustling of trees or crabs walking, but it’s obviously not the same as the sound of the wind entering a room… Seems to be a language we can’t understand, and it seems like those words aren’t meant to be heard by a Poison Lady! To a race like the kotsuhizoku that’s made solely of bones, this sort of reaction is rather conservative.”

Could it be that we really accidentally received a transmission from the kotsuhizoku!? Right, I’ll call a deciphering expert here right away. A messenger! Call a messenger!”

“If you want to call one, you go ahead yourself. Just think about how long that person will take to get past the countless traps to reach this room in one piece. Anyone with even a little intelligence, would think of a more effective way, right?”

Resisting the urge to say ‘it’s all your fault for installing all those dangerous traps’, Lord von Voltaire’s hands can’t stop shaking. Completely unconcerned, Lady von Karbelnikoff Anissina’s eyes start shining brightly, and she raises a grey pocket that she took from goodness knows where—

“If it was me, I’d use this! Ta-la-ta-ta-ta-ta---! Translation Year…”

“Wait a second! That convenient device is too dangerous!”

Gwendal quickly blocks Greta with his tall body, so she can’t see the device in Anissina’s hands. Maybe even she herself feels it’s inappropriate? Anissina also puts down her hand, and grabs another device instead.”

“Oh, dear! How dangerous, how could I do this kind of thing… This is something similar, and completely unrelated to ma-powered devices. The one with the real Poison Lady symbol is this one… And it’s the compact version, ta-la-ta-ta! ‘Translation Cold Day!’”

This time she takes out a little brown teapot.

“Let me explain! This is the newly completed ‘Translation Cold Day’, just look at its transparent, slender and smooth exterior, theoretically, all you have to do is pour the cool ‘this’ into your ears, and you’ll be able to understand all the languages of all the races in the whole world, it’s a really~ handy invention.”

“Theoretically.”

Gwendal mumbles, looking at the mad magician after her breathless, long-winded speech. The terrifying inventor known as the ‘Red Devil’ holds up her pointer finger and shakes it lightly.

“What’s there to be unsure of? Or do you think there’s a mistake in my theory? Lord von Voltaire, come! I’ll give you the first honors, bring your ear closer, it doesn’t matter left or right.”

“What!? You’re using me for a human experiment again!?”

“Didn’t you know that a long time ago?”

The Poison Lady’s lips curve into an eerie smile, approaching slowly, step by step. A long and slender transparent object, occasionally pokes out from the teacup. Curled up in the small container, instinctively raring to go… Protecting his head with his hands, Gwendal takes quite a few steps backwards, his armpits and back long since soaked with sweat.

“S-stop! Last time I wore those ‘Stuck-up Ears Headband’ that were supposed to let me understand what cats were saying, and all that happened was my eardrums hurt like hell, it had no effect at all. This proves that I’m just not cut out for any experiments to do with ears. Besides, Lord von Christ is more suited for this kind of experiment…”

Although he doesn’t dare to call it a failed product to her face, he has still made his stance clear. Anissina’s body composition is mostly Poison Lad, but two thirds of that was created by Gwendal’s consideration.

“Really, there’s no use in saying any more!”

“Stop! Don’t waste food! I’m telling you to stop aah—ee—wu—ye—woo—”

This sort of thing has been happening for over a hundred years, and the victor was decided from the start. That’s why it makes no difference who’s rooting at the sidelines. Completely ignoring the war between the fox badger and the cobra, Greta brings the bone piece to her ear again. She can hear it—She really can hear the contents of the conversation.

“…There is…”

Even Anissina, who’s getting ready to pour the Cold Day, stops because of Greta’s voice.

“In Seisakoku—there are really, really big temples… used to hide the bodies of dead kings… They’re really, really big graves, you know—”

“Greta?”

Whilst being ridden by his childhood friend, Gwendal listens to the girl’s real-time translation.

“…There are a lot, a lot of shiny jewelry and really rare treasures in the graves… So cool! Isn’t that right—Terine-chan… Um, who is Terine-chan?”

“Enough, ignore those childish parts. Ah! Greta, you don’t purposely have to translate it to sound sophisticated! If it’s possible, please translate it into simpler words.”

Gwendal grabs Anissina with his hands and gently lifts her, pulling her away from his stomach. The Poison Lady forgot to make a fuss of about it, hurriedly rushing to Greta’s side,

“Impressive! You really are the best language genius Poison Lady since the first Maou ruled the world!”

Seems like she can’t just be a normal language expert.

“How did you translate that!? Information… Did you get any related information? Greta, what does it feel like? Does it feel like ‘hua-hua-hua’? Or like ‘poh-poh-poh’?”

“It’s neither, yeesh!”

The excited Anissina desperately grabs Greta, who started translating with relying on mechanical ma-power.

“After the interference disappeared, I can hear it really clearly. And it’s not the secret conversation between kohi and their comrades, how do I describe it… it’s like that thing I played with Yuuri… that… tele—tele…”

“Telekinesis(1)?”

“Telephone game! It feels like that!”

“In other words, it’s just a communicator?”

And then the three of them fight to put the bone to the ears.

“What? Each king has a huge tomb?”

Dacascos, who had gotten happily drunk for the first time in a long time, reacts loudly in surprise to Captain Mountain Range’s murmurs. Almost everyone around them is in a drunken stupor, collapsed all over the sea-smelling deck and not budging. The only ones left are the mazoku representative, Dacascos, the human representative Captain Mountain Range, and Terine-chan on the captain’s knee.

The skull shines yellowish-brown, an endless darkness in those hollow eye sockets. Feeling as though he’s meeting his gaze, all the hairs on Dacascos’ arms stand on end.

“And they’re set apart from the temples, too? What a waste of space~ Our country takes the temple as a tomb, that’s why we only have one Shinou Shrine, you know!”

But that Shinou Shrine isn’t the tomb of the previous Maous. It’s normal for abdicated Maous to return to their own hometowns, and elegantly live off the rest of their lives. Thus, it’s natural for them to be buried in their clan graveyards after their passing. The design of the graveyards are more extravagant than the public cemeteries, but they’re not worth envying or anything. At the most, there aren’t any kotsuhizoku buried there.

“Waa—Seisakoku takes up such a vast area of land—But why is Ca[tain Mountain Range so clear about it? The way I see it, could it be that you are actually from there… No, it shouldn’t be possible. No matter how I look at you, Captain Mountain Range must be a human, right?”

“Lilit Latchie is a meanie, Terine-chan. Because he refuses to talk to Terine-chan, huh.”

Even though he’s using a childish tone, he still scares Dacascos into shaking. Crap, back then h promised to talk to the skull on his knee whenever he talks to Captain Mountain Range. Rule number 1: Show your respect for Terine-chan.

“S-shorr… Wait, it’s sorry.”

“As long as you know your mistake! Right, Terine-chan?”

The drunken mercenary comrades suddenly stand up and start yelling,

“Terine-chan is too~ cute--! When we die, we want to become bones as pretty and shiny as Terine-chan!”

They don’t know that Terine-chan is a kotsuhizoku, and has always looked like that.

“In that country filled with shinzoku everywhere, are there a bunch of dead people bones as pretty as Terine-chan buried in those tombs--? It must be that, that’s why so many people run in there to steal stuff, right? No wonder there’s no end to the grave robbers! Their first priority must be those pretty dead people bones, and then the gold and jewels are an added bonus. Those things can be sold at high prices in other countries, right—”

“Waa! How terrifying, to think that there are other people who dare to dig graves besides the kotsuhizoku and the Poison Lady Annissina! Isn’t that right, Terine-chan?”

Almost forgetting the promise again, Dacascos hurriedly talks to the target on the knee. As for Captain Mountain Range, he’s so happy his face reddens slightly.

“There are a lot, a lot of sparkly jewelry and really rare treasures in those tombs—Isn’t that amazing, Terine-chan?”

“I heard that Seisakoku was in lockdown, then how on earth do you bring the treasure out? And it’s gold and jewels from the royal graves, wouldn’t it be bad if they were discovered by customs? Right, Terine-chan?”

“Of course they’d go by boat—Terine-chan’s friend’s grandpa, is a ship captain specializing in smuggling loot from Seisakoku, right—”

Right then, ‘Terine-chan’s friend’ that Captain Mountain Range is talking about actually refers to himself. Before Dacascos can say ‘what, then shouldn’t you be called Ocean Bay Captain instead of Mountain Range Captain?’, one of the older subordinates jumps to his feet like a spring, saying cheerily,

“Oh, Captain Mountain Range, you and Terine-chan are the ship captains again. Even if it’s been a long time since we pulled off a big one, we still got a lot of gold and jewels from before, huh. Like the thing we got last time, I heard that’s a box that spews fire—it should be the fire-spewing box from the legends. I think that one can sell for a really high price.”

This time it’s a box that spews fire, huh… Feeling fed up, Dacascos can’t help but sigh.

Why does everything go back to cube-shaped things these days. Be it the one the His Excellency Günter secretly yells about, the one found in Dai Shimaron on orders, or the one that His Majesty and His Excellency Wolfram found on the voyage last time, they’re all boxes. Boxes, boxes, boxes, all boxes.

Could it be that cubes are in fashion in the world right now?

In the royal capital of Shin Makoku, deep within Blood Pledge Castle, in a properly temperature-regulated secret Poison Lady research center, the trio who have the ‘Happy-Happy Bone Puzzle’ or ‘Oh! Stack the Bones High’ pressed to their ears, are currently repeating every single word they here in a shout.

“Goodness!”

“How could it be!”

“Bone High--!”

Gwendal’s expression changes abruptly, and he suddenly yells at the bone,

“Don’t let Wolfram get close to Seisakoku! Catch him and bring him back immediately!”

But all he sees is the white bone covered with his spit, and there’s naturally no reply whatsoever.

“Damn it, it can only receive signals!”

The bone piece is hurled onto the floor, making a clear noise then rolling to a side, but it doesn’t crack, as solid as expected.

“What’s the matter, Lord von Voltaire? Spraying your spittle everywhere, it’s really rude!”

“Exactly, how could you, Gwen, it’s so dirty—”

Their fondness for Lord von Voltaire instantly drops by twenty, this is indeed behavior ladies detest.

“You can still be so relaxed!? Aaaa—I’m not mad at Greta, you know! Did you hear what I just said!? Aaaa—I’m not talking about Greta!”

Gwendal is so careful, trying his best to avoid hurting the adorable little girl. Having long since lost his normal cool, he uneasily paces around the room.

“When they said a box that spews flames, it should be that one, right? Either than that I really can’t think of any other boxes that spew flames.”

“What is ‘that’ you’re talking about? If it’s just starting a fire, that are over a hundred of those in the prototype warehouse. But if it’s not just spewing fire, but also freeze rays or touching music, then there aren’t a lot of those.”

Gwendal is so shocked he almost dislocates his jaw, thinking, ‘This mad ma-power scientist, exactly how fast is she making these rare and weird things?’ She said more than a hundred? If they could have simply borrowed one to use during the war before, who knows what kind of an advantage they might have had…

Doing that will go against the treaty, so the idea just flicks past his mind. He must never be led by the nose by the Poison Lady.

“By ‘that’ I mean ‘that—One of those four most fearsome, most dangerous Boxes that must never be touched since ancient legends.”

“Oh~~ You’re talking about the ones sealing up the soushu! About that, there’s one in the Shinou Shrine, too! It’s that completely worthless Wind’s…”

“Stop that nonsense!”

Anissina pulls her childhood friend’s hand away from her mouth, swishing her red hair, tied way up high, and snorts arrogantly,

“Gwendal, you’re already over a hundred years old, why are you still so scared? It’s just a box, what’s there to be scared about? It’s already locked up in the Shinou Shrine, there’s no way it can escape by itself, right?”

“That’s because… it doesn’t have legs. Wait, that’s not right. They shouldn’t be talking about ‘Wind’s End’, I remember there should be four Boxes according to legend. One of them is ‘Inferno of the Frozen Land’, fortunately this Box hasn’t fallen into human hands.”

“And—so—what--?”

Anissina puts both hands on her waist, tied until it’s slender and tight, unafraid of her own petite frame, and makes a contemptuous pose.

“If it appears in the Seisakoku tombs, wouldn’t that mean it had fallen into shinzoku hands since at least the previous monarch’s time!”

“And—so—what--?”

“If the shinzoku are abusing it… why on earth would it be buried in the tombs? I don’t understand it at all.”

“Could it be that they don’t need it at all? This proves that they don’t mean to use it, right? Didn’t we put the ‘Wind’s End’ into Shinou’s tomb, the Shinou Shrine? We’re not preserving those Boxes at all, since those filthy wooden boxes can’t help increase the majesty of the country in any way. Towards any realities and phenomena unrelated to mechanical ma-power, I believe that seeing is believing.”

Right now Greta’s red-brown eyes staring at Anissina are sparkling with respect and admiration. Gwendal’s shoulders sag helplessly, if only everyone in this world was like Anissina—but then the world would probably be destroyed by some other reason.

“But… if the box that spews fire they’re talking about really is ‘Inferno of the Frozen Land’, and if the shinzoku only temporarily buried it in the tomb because they don’t know how to unleash its power, what will happen then? And more importantly, if the person or item that carries the Key stumbles across the location of the Box…”

Anissina watches Gwendal, whose expression has changed dramatically and is so worried he’s pacing back and forth, while she sips a health drink that (may) help growth with a ‘chuu—’ noise.

‘If, if, if, are you a slow-action land tortoise!? Besides, we’re not even sure who the Key is yet!”

“Who on earth…!?”

According to Gegenhuber’s report, the Key to one of the Boxes, ‘Ends of the Earth’, seems to be someone’s left eye. Back then he fit the criteria very well, that’s why his left eye was burned off, but they still couldn’t open the seals. More seriously, there’s the Key to the other Box, ‘Wind’s End’—Lord Weller Conrart’s left arm, and that brought actual disaster to Shou Shimaron and Caloria.

Thankfully it wasn’t too destructive a result, but that’s all because the ‘Box’ wasn’t compatible with the ‘Key’. The first time was because it was a fake Key that is close to the real one, the second time was because the Box and the Key didn’t match. But the Key to ‘Wind’s End’ was the first of all the Boxes and Keys to be created, so it can open all the seals. Only, the ‘Wind’s End’ that fell into Shou Shimaron hands doesn’t seem to be complete.

According to ancient legend, the descendants of the four clans that sealed up the soushu bear a heavy responsibility as the Keys. Right now the confirmed Keys are the left eye of someone related in blood to Gegenhuber, and Lord Weller Conrart’s left arm.

Terrifying ideas keep surfacing in Gwendal’s mind.

“The von Bielefeld has been a prominent clan since before the country was founded. Wolfram is very likely one of the remaining two Keys…’

“Then, the one who defeated the soushu of the wind is Conrad’s ancestor?”

“Ah! Then the one who beat the soushu of the earth to a pulp, was Hube and Gwendal’s great-great-great-great-grandfather, right?”

Greta says excitedly, pleased with herself for getting these blood relations straightened out in one go. But as soon as the girl says that, she realizes the horrifying possibility, and adds in a shaky voice,

“Then, Gwen’s left eye is the Key to the earth Box?”

“Greta, don’t get ahead of yourself. There’s no solid proof.”

“No, it’s okay,”

Only when it’s related to himself, can Gwendal calmly agree to Greta’s hypothesis.

“This is a fact that can be guessed at even without any solid proof, but that shiny… No, since they mentioned Dacascos’ name, we can probably determine that the location was on Captain Sizemore’s ship. And Wolfram’s on that ship—If ‘Inferno of the Frozen Land’ really is in Seisakoku, then it’s really too dangerous to send him there!”

Compared to Anissina, sipping her drink looking completely unaffected, whenever it has anything to do with his brothers, Gwendal will become a completely different person, panicked and lost.

“Damn it!”

Thank goodness he’s using both his hands to hammer the table, or he might grab his grey hair and start screaming madly.

It was the same the last time. After he met up with Gisela, they successfully found Yuuri—Though they accomplished that very well, they indirectly allowed Kinan to steal the ‘Key’--- in other words, Conrad’s arm. Although it was pointless to scold Wolfram for it, it was undeniably a huge loss.

“There wasn’t any problem with the plan itself, and the contents were conservative and detailed, so even if we failed the losses would be cut to a minimum. But why did the God of Luck abandon us?”

The way he looks, hammering the table, is too terrifying. Even Greta is trembling in fear, covering her ears as she says,

“Gwen… don’t hit the table.”

“Has all your education gone to nothing!?”

“Don’t be like this, Gwen! Don’t be mad, just don’t be mad!”

“But!”

The fist that’s raised once more is held in mid-air by a white hand—Anissina throws down the silver container and grabs his wrist tightly. As long as those thin fingers exert power, even Gwendal, who’s used to easily swinging around large weapons, can’t budge an inch. After he’s calmed down, Anissina’s lips curve into a smile,

“Don’t act so violently in front of children, look how scared Greta is. I understand your hopes and concerns for your little brother. But these things happen in the world, situations when you’ve done your all and things still don’t go your way. Some people are just that unlucky, so all you can say is that he’s born under an unlucky star.”

“Is Wolfram the Little Prince(2)?”

The little girl asks, her voice nasally as she holds back tears.

After releasing her childhood friend’s hand, Anissina smile brightly at Greta,

“Maybe? But he may not be, too! Even if Wolfram is the Little Prince, he probably isn’t the king, right? But this may not be an unlucky thing. Even if he can’t win on his own, if he gets help from his comrades, and has that certain someone by his side, maybe he can bring out his innate strength.”

“Who is…”

Anissina presses her finger against the child’s mouth, stopping the question, ‘who is that?’ Her fingernail has been trimmed oval, shining a healthy pale pink color.

“It’s okay as long as he himself understands it. I’m guessing they’ll notice eventually, but that isn’t something that can be solved immediately, after all. Right now the matter of urgency is to investigate which clans bear the responsibility of the Keys. If the von Bielefeld clan is one of the four Keys, then a different danger will approach Wolfram.”

Anissina walks up to the enormous writing table, and beckons her Poison Lady substitute.

“Greta, come over here! This is a good opportunity, for me to teach you properly how to read ancient books and texts.”

“Reading ancient books!? You’re still in the relaxed mood to do that sort of thing!”

“You don’t have to mind us, Gwendal. Go ahead and do whatever you want! It’s up to you if you want to go to the seaside or the beach, if you want to go then just get going. But if you’re going to operate solo like your little brother, and then cry loudly when you’re in an emergency and don’t have enough information, I won’t be able to help you there!”

“I’ll solve this myself! As if I’d want to listen to your orders even when it comes to my own family matters!”

Absorbed in her own task, Anissina doesn’t even look at Gwendal, who’s lost his calm, and says while holding up the heavy reference book,

“Lord von Voltaire, didn’t I say that there are some people who, without someone else, won’t be able to regain their power, I meant you, you know!”

“Stop joking!”

After hurling the bone in his hand at the table, Lord von Voltaire bolts out of the research room.

“Gwendal…”

Greta looks between the door and Aninssina in a panic. When it comes down to it, this all started when she heard the kotsuhizoku transmission.

“Anissina, what to do… Gwen’s mad.”

“I know, but you don’t have to worry about it. He doesn’t have the ability to operate alone without us. At the most he’ll walk to the end of the corridor or the stairs, count to three, and come back.”

It’s exactly as Anissina said. Not a few dozen seconds later, he walks back in with an expression of sorrow and his head held low.

Because he simply can’t find anyone else to discuss this with.

1. I played a little with the words here, the Chinese terms were ‘sound transmitting tube’ and Anissina(?) guessed ‘love transmitting’ or something, but I’m pretty sure the Japanese originals are something else altogether…

2. She uses the title of the book "The Little Prince" which in Japanese is "The Prince from the Stars".

MaruMA:Volume11:Chapter 2

2015-04-24T17:09:18Z

Alaxxis Sade: Created page with "===Chapter 2=== It feels like riding a see-saw. The violent shaking tilts the entire floorboard, after crashing into the right-side wall, now they’re knocking into the le..."

===Chapter 2===

It feels like riding a see-saw.

The violent shaking tilts the entire floorboard, after crashing into the right-side wall, now they’re knocking into the left side, everyone’s trying their best to maintain their balance. I, too, am holding the girl we brought out from the bottom of the ship. I want to cushion her as best as I can, after all I still have some muscle on me, while she’s so thin her bones might just break with a ‘snap’!

“This feeling is like ‘that’… the FLYING PIRATES at the theme park!”

“What FLYING PANTS… What a naughty young man you are, still thinking perverted thoughts at a time like this.”

“Don’t try to show off your half-baked translating skills… Ow! I bit my tongue.”

As the man at the helm makes a sudden, short sound, the girl in my arms instantly holds her breath—maybe in their language, that sound is a sort of insult?

Not long ago this ship was handed to the shinzoku man we brought out from the bottom of the ship to steer—that is, one of the ‘slaves who got shipwrecked near Shou Shimaron’, according to Saralegui. The way I see it, they’re refugees who abandoned their home country, but to someone who was educated since young to become a king, they’re no more than ‘slaves’.

No matter what the truth is, now isn’t the time to be arguing about it. After all when faced with a life-death situation, anyone who can do anything must play their part. Since he’s an experienced sailor who’s traversed these waters before, then he must be more reliable than a new rookie.

To Sara, he’s just a slave; but to me, he’s someone who can lend me a hand.

“Can we possibly survive this storm?”

“From the day I was born, I’ve always felt like I’m living in the vast ocean. I’m the Girl on the Sea, Gurrier… Whoa!”

“Waa—Sorry! I accidently hit your chest.”

“He… Hehe… Young Master, what a powerful hit that was!”

Is it just me, or are there tears in Josak’s eyes?

“But with such bad turbulence, even people other than Wolf would find it hard, right? I don’t usually get seasick, but now my stomach’s all bloated, and I feel like I’m going to vo-vo-vo-vomit—Mph!”

Before tragedy can strike, I clasp my hand over my mouth, my throat full of bitterness. Thank goodness I didn’t just eat. Just then the girl leaves my arms, reaching her hand out to the navigation map on the wet floorboards. The Shou Shimaron crewmen, huddled together and shivering uncontrollably, see her action and follow suit, because they want to know our current location no matter what.

She uses her weak fingers, with those slightly protruding joints and worn-out fingernails to point at a spot on the simple map. While trying to keep our balance, we crawl over to look. On the map full of waves there’s a fish surfacing from the sea. Quite a few simple markers are connected, circling a continent.

Could that be the ocean borders?

The girl knocks the soaking wet map twice and then uses the same finger to point directly out of the helms room. Outside the window, in the direction she’s pointing, we can see different colored waves.”

“…It’s over there.”

When the Shou Shimaron crewmen, Josak and I look at the surprising phenomena outside the window, we all can’t help but gasp.

That’s the ocean borderline. I have no idea what magic nature used, but there’s actually a clear borderline on the surface of the sea. The cargo ship is right now on the heavy grey water, and beyond that line is a bright, light green.

“So the dangerous waters end there? So beautiful, and so clear… Who would’ve thought that the sea was so miraculous!”

The girl’s golden eyes are trained on me. But because of the language barrier, I really can’t answer her, even though I do feel her suspicions.

“The waves on those waters are really stable, maybe we can reach Seisakoku like that… Wait a sec, how far away is it from there? It’s so hard to gauge distances on the sea! Mn—About two hundred meters?”

“Young Master, I don’t know how long one of your meters is, but I’m sure it’s not so close by! Because there aren’t any obstructions on the sea, that’s why it looks really near. But the way I see it, it must be at fifty boats away, right? If it’s the land even beyond that… Mn—About three times that distance? But that depends on the accuracy of the map, too.”

Although I don’t know how long a standard boat is, but it shouldn’t be just two or three meters, should it? Just this cargo ship I saw on the deck, from stern to bow it was 90 meters, if we use a number that’s easier to count:

“100 meters x 50 ships… That’s 5000 meters… Is it really that far!?”

And land is even further than that, since the target is big enough, so if I squint a little I can still see it, but it’s anything but nearby.

“After all we’re on the boat, even if we don’t ask how many knots we’re going at, as long as we get past this obstacle here, and set sail for the calm seas, perhaps we could even reach there by nightfall.”

Just then the shoulder that was always leaning on me suddenly moves, and the girl crawls towards her male companion. The two of them yell at each other a few times, pointing at me and saying something I have no clue about. The shinzoku man holding the ship’s wheel turns his head aside, his expression careful and wary, his golden eyes peeking my way now and again.

It’s very obvious that he doesn’t trust me.

I can’t blame him, because to them, I’m a friend of the Shou Shimaron king. They were determined to escape even if it cost them their lives, but now they’re forcefully being deported back by Saralegui, so there’s no way they’ll let their guard down even a tiny bit around me, the king’s friend.

“Boat!”

“What?”

The girl suddenly turns back and grabs my hand, even saying a word I understand. Maybe she remembers a few commonly-used nouns?

“Boat!”

She says it again, pointing behind me with her finger. I can’t tell if she’s pointing at the vast ocean behind me, or calling Sazae-san’s mother(1).

“What about the boat? Surely you’re not asking us to turn back now… Ah! Don’t tell me you guys want to take over this cargo ship, like those hijacking sailor-uniform pirates!?”

The girl must have felt my alarm, because she quickly shakes her head sadly in denial. I never thought that not being able to communicate could be so nerve-wracking. I hurriedly look around me, and see the Shou Shimaron’s ace helmsman has a cylindrical object that looks like stationary in his front pocket, so I quickly ask and take it, drawing a small ‘?’ on the side of the wet map. But, I don’t think Earth’s symbols can be used to communicate here either.

“…Boat…”

Taking the stationary that looks like a pen, the girl draws a human-figure on top of the ‘?’, and draws five of them lined up, then she draws a triangular container underneath them. Judging by the size, it’s more of a rowboat than an actual ship. And then she draws the same thing again, and before the ink on the lines spreads, she quickly presses the finger that was on the human-figures back to her chest, as though saying ‘this is me’. A little distance away, she draws a large triangle, and this time she points at me and Josak. Those golden eyes stare straight at us, desperately trying to get the message across.

“Sorry, I’m not really…”

“I know!”

Josak, who was watching quietly, smacks his chin with his fist.

“She wants a lifeboat!”

“What? Lifeboat? Oh—that’s it, I was wondering why that boat is so small, turns out it’s a lifeboat. Then, this big one is the cargo ship… Then, what you mean is you want me to let you guys escape on a lifeboat?”

I have no idea if she understood me or not, but she’s nodding her head, hard.

“It’s already come to this, so why do you still want to escape? Your own country is right there!”

“Seems like Your Majesty guessed it.”

Maybe it’s because the rocking has gotten slightly more stable, so the spy leaves my side, saying,

“They… and those people underneath the boat, they should be the same. They may be trying to say that, rather than returning to their home country, they’d rather brave the stormy seas, right? Even if they have to ride on a tiny boat that might capsize at any moment.”

“Eh!? Wait, you guys plan on going back? Stop joking! How can a small lifeboat cross such a scary and rapid current! Won’t you be just like a leaf bobbing on the surface of the vast, turbulent ocean?”

I stand up from beside the navigation map, staring at the skinny girl,

“About that, I’m not trying to curse you or anything. Why don’t you land on Seisakoku first, then do your preparations before challenging the seas again? If the king there or Saralegui object, then even if my power isn’t much, I’ll still put in a word for you.”

The man at the helm shakes his beard, yelling over here. The girl raises her right hand to stop him, shaking her head slowly, so we can tell that she more or less understands my suggestion, only to reject it instantly.

“Why? Do you think I’m so unreliable? Do I look like a man who doesn’t keep his word? Josak, say something for me!”

“Me?”

The usually cheerful spy grabs his orange hair, looking as though he wants to bluff his way through. Water drips from his biceps.

“What a bother… Young Master, I just can’t! What do you want me to say? If you want me to tell these people who came out here with their lives on the line to go back to that place filled with nightmares, I just can’t say it.”

“Filled with nightmares…”

“Since they abandoned the home they grew up in, they must surely have their reasons, so I really can’t think of anything to say that can persuade them. Even though I have to obey whatever orders Your Majesty gives me, this is a bit too much!”

Maybe he’s remembering his own experiences, because Josak can’t help but frown and sigh. He who suffered because of his mazoku bloodline, also experienced escaping from Shimaron to Shin Makoku before. Maybe that’s why he feels this way?

Even so, I can’t accept her request. Even if I help these shinzoku leave, like she hopes I will, it’s simply impossible to cross the stormy seas in that little boat. Even if Lady Luck smiles on them, their chances of survival are practically zero.

“Speaking of which, how many lifeboats do we have? F-four?”

The Shou Shimaron crewman raises four fingers, even if they can squeeze in thirty adults, it’s still far away from the number of shinzoku we have.

“No matter how you squeeze it’ll still be overloaded, right? When I saw you guys at the Saralegui War Port, I already thought you guys were squished so tight… Hey, wait a sec… speaking of your people…”

The images from several dozen days ago appear in my mind suddenly, that time when ‘Friends on the Sea’ saved two shinzoku children. Shinzoku of all ages squeezed onto a tiny, sinking boat. The adults who aren’t holding little children, desperately waving their arms; tiny children grabbing onto their parent’s or sibling’s knees to prevent being tossed into the sea by the waves. It’s nothing short of a miracle that a boat like that, which could fall apart at any moment, managed to make it all the way to the Shimaron continent. After finding out about the conditions of the Seisakoku waters, I finally understand what a dangerous thing that was. But there’s something bothering me: exactly how many people are stuffed into this boat?

“How many companions do you have down there? No matter how I look at it, it seems there are even more than those seeking for help at the port… And…”

I desperately recall the heavy atmosphere underneath the boat. Though there’s oxygen there, it’s also filled with the suffocating smell of seawater. There wasn’t any talking, or any babies crying.

“What about the children? Where did the children go? That’s weird, just too weird. Although I saw less people at the port, but then there were adults, children, and babies. Technically there should be kids like Zeda and Zisha, who are younger than you. Where did all those kids go? There’s obviously more than twice the number of people here, but not a single child, so what on earth is happening here!?”

“Uhm…”

The ace helmsman whose pen was taken away raises his gaze, timidly trying to interrupt. In that instant when our gazes meet, he immediately shirks away, saying in a tiny voice completely unlike a sea man,

“I think—I think the children are probably under our military’s custody.”

“Military custody? Do you mean rescue? Doesn’t Saralegui think he’s rescuing the passengers of a shipwreck? That’s why he wants to send them back to their home country! It’s just that I can’t forgive him for treating them as slaves, and using such a horrible attitude too. And the truth is just like I anticipated too, they weren’t shipwrecked, they’re real refugees.”

“That’s why King Saralegui sends the useless adults and old people back every year. Because once they’re around this girl’s age, it gets easy to tell their worth as a shinzoku.”

Worth?

The youngest-looking guy on the ship, holding the ace helmsman’s left arm, has an expression that says ‘any citizen of Shou Shimaron would know something like that!’ as he continues,

“Amongst the shinzoku, there are people with powerful houryoku and people with no houryoku. Anyone who’s around this girl’s age and still doesn’t know how to use houjutsu is a useless shinzoku. Maybe if they put in more effort like us humans, they may still be of use someday, but they would still be worthless as shinzoku. To be blunt, they’re trash, bottom-feeders. After all, all those guys are good for is their powerful houryoku. If they don’t know how to use houjutsu, and can only plainly work hard, they’ll be sent to the mines under the shelter. That’s all the use they have.”

“What a horrible way to think.”

“Eh!? P-please, forgive me!”

It could be that I unconsciously frowned. Although he apologizes, he doesn’t seem to plan on shutting up any time soon.

“And these years a lot of people end up adrift on the sea, so now it’s supply over demand. After all, even slaves have to eat and sleep, so now that we’re suddenly stuck with so much trash we can’t sell off, what’ll we do if they eat us to bankruptcy? That’s why we took this chance to gather them all up and send them back as local produce, but babies and brats… children are different!”
The crewman’s tone is getting harsher and harsher, and, the girl’s shoulders start shaking, her hands pressed on the navigation map. Technically she shouldn’t understand what we’re saying, but she lowers her head, biting her lip. The young man doesn’t notice her appearance at all, and even swings his ponytail forcefully.

“Children and babies have unlimited potential! So as long the refugees who drift over have kids, the military will take all of them under custody.”

“You say custody… for what? Are you going to adopt them and educate them, or give them tests?”

“Adopt? Im—po—ssi—ble—”

The star helmsman nudges his subordinate, who’s laughing and waving his right arm, maybe he’s nervous over his too-casual attitude? But the young man only frowns, unhappy with his boss rough actions, and continues carelessly,

“Of course we’ll sell them!”

“Sell. Them?”

“That’s right. Sell them to the merchants while they’re still babies, then increase their houryoku and teach them houjutsu then sell them to the armies of other countries! And they can be sold for a high price too! Of course that’s after we, the Shou Shimaron army, choose the best of them for our ranks.”

The young crewman continues ranting, “It’s just that recently there’s been too much brain drain, a few of the excellent teachers and trainers were headhunted to the other countries—previously when shinzoku were mentioned, then they must have been trained by Shou Shimaron; ironically, I heard that we’ve eve started importing them recently—”, but my brain is desperately trying to process those completely unreal words.

When I heard about the slaves from Saralegui back then, I should have thought something like this would happen. Shou Shimaron is selling those drifting shinzoku as ‘stock’. Come to think of it, the shinzoku twins I met in the plains—Jason and Freddy are also like that. So they’re probably the so-called strong houjutsu users, that’s why Nigel Weizs Maxine bought them and started dragging them around with him?

They left their country when they were just babies, and were raised with a so-called education, so they have no clue at all about their hometown. They obviously don’t know a thing about Seisakoku, and yet they cried, saying that they wanted to go back.

“But, after these trash shinzoku are deported back, forget their original lives as slaves, they’ll probably be treated even worse, as deserters! Considering that, no wonder they don’t mind a precarious lifeboat, and just want to escape no matter what…”

“You guys… are so horrible!”

The horrible one is me, I never learned my lesson, and still can’t control my temper.

Maybe he’s shocked by the words I say and the sound of something hitting the floorboard, because the young Shou Shimaron crewman’s brown eyes go wide with fear.

“How can you say it so confidently, that’s human trafficking, you know!? That’s a crime, and it’s something a human shouldn’t do, right!? Has no one scolded you? Not one?”

“Your Majesty, you mean…”

Seeing his subordinate shocked into stillness by my furious expression, the elderly star helmsman replies in their stead,

“But they are slaves.”

“You guy, all you say is slaves, slaves, slaves! You’re adults who should have gotten your moral education, don’t you think saying something like that is embarrassing!?”

He replies, looking confused,

“To us, that’s a matter of fact.”

“Matter of fact?”

“He’s completely right, Your Majesty.”

Josak, who previously kept his silence, says in a lecturing tone behind me,

“Since you guys already know it, then stop doing it. After all if no one pointed out if what you’re doing is right or wrong, you yourselves won’t notice it. Like me, I used to think that I’m just like cattle or horses, nothing more than livestock. Until a certain someone reminded me, only then did I change that way of thinking.”

“But Josak, this is human trafficking! It’s really… it’s really a crime. From a humane point of view, how can this be treated as a matter of fact!?”

“It’s true!”

The elderly helmsman interrupts. Only he uses a voice so small it’s barely audible. His cheeks, blown to redness by the sea wind, are trembling, but I don’t understand why.

“It’s a matter of fact. We think… of them as slaves, as living creatures beneath us.”

“So you guys don’t care at all, and just treat them as stock?”

This last minute excuse, heats me up from the bottom of my throat.

Even if I scold the crap out of a couple Shou Shimaron people here, there won’t possibly be a change in the situation. Even if I take out my anger on the people in front of me now, all it’d do is show how petty I am. I keep trying to convince myself in my head, ‘now isn’t the time to be driven by emotions’, but still things don’t go according to plan.

“Hmph! You don’t judge a person by hitting percentage and defending percentage, but by their worth as a person. I really don’t understand what kind of basis do you have for judging! I hope you really must tell me. Just take him as an example…”

The shinzoku man gripping the wheel tightly opens his eyes wide when I suddenly point at him, and shirks away timidly.

“Take him for an example. He has an ability none of you experienced seamen have, he can navigate these evil seas. But you treat him as inferior to Shimaron people, keeping him in the bottom of the ship and putting a price tag on him to sell, deporting him if he can’t be sold. I really don’t get it, I don’t understand at all, how on earth is he inferior to you? Please explain!”

If I was in Japan living a normal life, I would never have considered anything like this. Anything about slave merchants, buying people just like ourselves with money, that stuff only happens in history books or countries far, far away.

But, right now it’s happening right in front of my eyes.

I still have the blood letter from Jason and Freddy in my pocket. Right before me are people desperate to leave the land they grew on, and would rather dive into the terrifying waters than go back.

Is Seisakoku hell?

To them, is it a terrifying place that is meaningless to return to?

And I actually sent two young girls back to such a terrifying place?

It’s not an easy task, trying to calm down the anger that suddenly hit boiling point. But afterwards, those rash emotions turn to self-loathing.

“Damn, if that’s so, of course they wouldn’t want to go back.”

I raise my cold hand up to press my forehead, my entire body slumping down to sit on the wet floor boards. The girl, probably thinking I’m not feeling well, holds my left hand with her thin fingers. Those thin and pale fingers, without much flesh and mostly joints. I suddenly remember the fact that, just a few weeks ago, I got a girlfriend in Japan—

At Murata’s high school festival, that school where everyone aims for college, I just happened to meet Hashimoto, who graduated from the same middle high as me. Though her hands had callouses from holding tennis rackets, but they’re obviously warmer and softer than this girl in front of me right now.

They’re obviously girls of the same age, but there’s such a big difference in the feel of their hands.

“Thank you, I’m fine.”

The little bit of heat I feel from that slight skin contact, makes me feel a gentleness I can’t put to words. Even after she was treated so inhumanely, she still worries about my health.

“…I’m fine, and I’ll never take you back to that place.”

Just then the crewmen suddenly look up in shock, and then they take off for the cabin door just like that. But before they can make their move, a certain someone immediately kicks the wet floorboards, making a sound.

“Mph-eek!”

“All right~ Don’t panic, don’t panic—”

The spy with the superfast reflexes raises the corners of his lips, and quickly uses his feet to keep the control room door shut, his stance saying clearly that before this is all sorted out, no one’s to leave the room. Having given up reporting to Saralegui, the star helmsman speaks up decisively,

“You want to give the lifeboats to these people?”

“Unfortunately, star helmsman, I don’t plan to do that at all! How can such a tiny boat cross such a dangerous stretch of sea?”

Come to think of it, just the fact that the worn-out boat Zeta and Zuusha rode could make it to Shou Shimaron is a miracle of miracles. If they didn’t just happen to meet the current’s stable period, many people would surely have died.

How can I let something like that happen in front of me?

As I contemplate, Josak says from above my head,

“If we want to send them off on a larger boat… Then all we can do is give this cargo boat to them. But that white and fluffy boy king would never stay quiet about this. Ah! That’s right.

"We’ll just say that these shinzoku are rebelling! And then they threaten the owner of this cargo ship, planning to chase us away. As for the role of the hostage, leave it to me!”

I try imagining those skinny shinzoku, pinning the healthy soldier in the long-sleeved apron from behind so he can’t move his arms. No matter how you look at it, this hostage looks unnatural. Even if a dozen of them attack at once, I don’t think they’d be a match for Josak.

To be nice, you could say that man is gentle, to put it bluntly he has no aura at all. It could be because they were imprisoned under such horrible conditions, but even if you provoke them, they would never have the guts to rebel.

“Mn—To call them pacifists doesn’t feel right either. No, wait, Gurrier. Never do something as dangerous as inciting a rebellion. Whatever happens, we must make sure this is a bloodless battlefield, a bloodless boat…”

Just then I glance out of the window, seeing the border on the surface of the sea as clearly as though it was drawn on with a pen, If we can just make it past that line to the area of the sea where the color is darker, we can probably make it to Seisakoku easily. By then, it’s okay even if we’re on small boats.

Even if we’re on lifeboats.

“Josak.”

“What is it, Young Master?”

“Later I’ll be saying some very scary lies, don’t look down on me.”

“What do you mean, look down on you, you’re over-exaggerating again.”

He keeps his long legs pressed against the door, his arms crossed in front of his chest, even flexing those gorgeously-lined biceps underneath the long-sleeved white apron—the body of an outer fieldsman that deeply mesmerizes me.

“Lies and disguise are the essence of the intelligence sector, you know! They’re Gurie’s fa~vorite! But if it’s coming from the Young Master, then in the eyes of an experienced intelligence officer like me, it wouldn’t even count as a lie!”

Although this has nothing to do with disguise at all, I’m not so naïve as to believe the words of a person who’s supposed to protect me.

“No, I think it’s a lie. For all you know, it’s an evil lie that may lead to life and death.

At first I wanted to put my arms in front of my chest, but at the last minute I bring them to my forehead, because if I didn’t do that, I would laugh out loud from the embarrassment.

“What a bother, I’ll steal something later too! Looks like you really can’t underestimate the old sayings(1). I’m horrible, huh, a king who lies.”

“Mn—You shouldn’t blame yourself so much anymore. Besides, Gurrie has recently been working with silent, stoic superiors, so…”

The loyal Shin Makoku spy cracks his knuckles as he looks at the Shou Shimaron crewmen, the dangerous expression of spotting a prey and being so happy he’s shaking on his face.

“…I’m just in the mood to show off my acting skills.”

The lower half of the captain’s quarter door has decolorized due to the beating of the waves.

I knock the wooden door lightly with my fists, opening it without waiting for a reply. The quick crewmen have already started running up and down the stairs leading from the deck to the cabins.

“It’s bad! Sa…”

“Yuuri, what’s up…”

Saralegui turns around, holding two shiny things, and there are lots of clothes on the bed. Colorful cloth sticks out of the suitcases by his feet, too.

Seeing this overly peaceful scene, my legs can’t help but go weak.

“In an emergency situation like this, what are you doing now?”

“What am I doing? I’m matching outfits, of course! After all we’re meeting the king of Seisakoku, so we can’t wear salty-smelling travelling clothes, right? Oh yeah, Yuuri should choose a suit from here as well. If you don’t mind, you can take them all! Right, Lord Weller, help me take that suitcase over there.”

Lord Weller is standing in the corner of the room that is not wide by any standards, his eyes wide and mouth hanging open. There are pale-colored shirt hanging on his arms, making him a living clothes rack, as ridiculous as they come. No—I have no right to insult someone else’s guard.

“Matching what outfits… Please, it’s not like we’re going to a ball!”

Scolded by me, Saralegui looks a little agitated too.

“But Yuuri, it’s very important to leave a good impression, right? Although a young kid like me doesn’t have the pride of a king, but at the very least I have to pretend a bit on the outside, then I can overpower him by my presence!”

“That’s true, but…”

First impressions are indeed very important. Hearing Saralegui, who received kingly training, say so, even I have to deeply agree. But after glancing around, I realize that the official clothes he brought are all either shiny pieces of jewelry, or light floaty lace. If you put them on me, who’s only fit for school uniforms and sports clothes, forget the saying ‘people wear clothes, the Buddha wears gold’, it’s practically ‘the monkey wearing new clothes’!

“I’ll pass, thanks for offering.”

“Don’t say that, or do you want me to help you choose? Ah, but those black clothes still fit you best! Although people have been telling me that black is an evil and ominous color since I was a child, but my impression of it has changed completely since I met Yuuri! Or maybe it’s because those clothes were specially designed for a special someone?”

But in my current high school, there are almost 400 people wearing the same clothes.

“The waves have finally calmed down, looks like we should reach shore in less than a day now! We’ve already passed the dangerous area, right?”

Seeing the way he tilts his slender chin, saying, ‘Are you here to inform me of that?’, I finally have a chance to cut to the chase, my mind automatically raising my hand.

“Sara, now isn’t the time to be picking clothes! Forget about all that for now, let’s escape from here!”

“Escape? Why?”

That golden hair so pale it’s almost translucent falls on those slender shoulders, the neatly-manicured pink fingertips pushing up the pale-colored lenses.

“Have the slaves done something?”

At first he didn’t believe something like that was possible, but after zero point something seconds, his expression becomes extremely uneasy. That odd moment that I suddenly notice makes me want to frown, but I desperately hold myself in check.

But what was that split second change? This is the boy king Saralegui, who ruled the country since he was only seventeen and has kept on bravely, working hard to this day. His stand is very similar to mine, so I believe we can share our deepest frustrations, making him a friend that I can relax with, is around the same age as me, and a person fated to be king.

But I seem to have glimpsed another side of him.

“Could it be, they rebelled!?”

“No, it’s not that. This has nothing to do with the shinzoku, it’s the boat, the boat! Sara, listen to me, c-c-calm down and listen to me!”

I suddenly sort of wish he would retort, ‘You should calm yourself down first.”

Josak is yelling not far behind me, his character not only looking concerned for my safety, but also fanning the flames of agitation, causing the other crewmen to feel uneasy. Right now I can only put in more effort myself.

“The star helmsman reported to the captain, saying that this boat is in great danger, it’s gonna sink! You heard the creaking sounds, right? According to the guy in charge of the luggage, there are already quite a few leaks in the bottom of the boat. Looks like this normal cargo boat can’t cope with a dangerous current like that after all.”

Saralegui pushes aside the hair on his face with a finger, quieting down and listening intently. The ruckus on the deck disappears immediately, leaving only the sound of wooden boards creaking.

“Do you hear that? The boat’s sinking, you know!? I heard that if it goes on like this, in another ten minutes it’ll snap in half! So we have to escape from this boat as soon as possible! If you think you share a fate with this cargo boat, then that’s another matter. No matter what, stop picking clothes, you just have to bring the precious, necessary stuff!”

“But Yuuri, you say you want to escape, how do we… escape?”

“Aren’t there lifeboats onboard!? There shouldn’t be too many people, right?”

I run past the door into the room, flipping over the king’s suitcase. All the bright and beautiful cloths scatter onto the ground, and are replaced by what looks like coats and carpets--At a time like this, I’ll just use force.

“Yuuri, what are you doing!?”

“In weather like this we should take insulating clothes, and we have to make sure we’re not splashed on by the waves. If we throw away the things in the suitcase, we can even use it as a lifebuoy… Hurry, Sara, don’t just stand there!”

The boy who was trained as a noble since young seems clueless, so right now I’m rather grateful that I was born in a normal household.

“I’ve never ridden that kind of tiny boat!”

“Relax! Not only have I ridden inflatable rafts, I even experienced sitting in a swan boat ride with two grown men.”

“What to do? Young Master. Do you need me to lift the weak king, too?”

Holding the captain, who’s foaming at the mouth, by the neck, Josak runs in to ask, lifting him instead of dragging him on the ground. The voice is coming from not far behind me, so even if I walk in front, he can still reach me with his arms.

“It’s okay, there are no problems here on my side. We have to get everyone ready to abandon ship. Saralegui, we can’t always stay on a sinking ship, we still have to get to Seisakoku, right?”

“But Yuuri, what about the gifts and… those slaves? There’s no time now to move all the cargo to the lifeboats, right?”

“We leave them all here.”

In that instant a shadow seemed to flit past those eyes, hidden underneath pale-colored glasses. At first I thought he was surprised, but then Saralegui lifts his head, smiling slightly. I, on the other hand, speak stutteringly, though I just desperately practiced these lines a while ago.

“Although th-they’re very pitiful, b-but we have choice. After all, slaves… Saralegui. The situation is dire, right now…”

My mouth feels so tight, but I still hide it as best as I can.

“…C-compared to s-slaves, of course we should consider our own lives first. I pity them, and thought we could at least take the women and children with us… I tried to convince them, but I don’t know if they understand me, because not a single person was willing to come up with us. We can’t do anything anymore, so we just have to leave them here. All that’s left is for them to pray to God.”

“Mn!”

The slender chin moves back lightly, and Saralegui nods his head twice in satisfaction.

“Mn. Yuuri, you’re perfectly right. They’re slaves, this is their fate since they were born. You don’t have to worry about them, that’s what they mean by ‘each to their own destiny’.”

“Your Majesty Saralegui, although this has nothing to do with me…”

Lord Weller, who was previously quiet, suddenly clears his throat interrupting our conversation, and tossing aside the sparkling clothes on his arms. His expression is neither worried nor surprised.

“Since this lord has spoken as such, it seems best to leave as soon as possible.”

“See, even your lackey says so, it’s better to listen to your bodyguard’s suggestion, you know! Get onto the lifeboats with the captain. I
still need to make a trip to the control room, to tell the helmsman to evacuate!”

After this Lord Weller will retreat with him safely, right? To him, it’d be a big problem if the person he was protecting were to sink into the sea. After saying those words, I hurriedly turn around and dash towards the deck, because I can’t stand that sense of disgust for a moment longer.

I just keep feeling as though, in that room covered with colorful, beautiful clothes, the dirty words from my mouth are still reverberating. As though they’re telling me, ‘You said those things with your own mouth’, making me unable to stay in the same room as Saralegui.

“I hate this--, it’s so dirty--! Not a single man will say the truth anyway—”

“Don’t say that in such a disgusting voice! The problem is those crewmen who know the whole story. We never offered anything in exchange, neither did we pay for their silence, so how do we keep them quiet?”

“No—problem, it’s too easy. As soon as things get tense, we can just sew their lips shut.”

“Waa! Just listening to it hurts! Please don’t crack any dark jokes at a time like this, you made me imagine that scene!”

Josak immediately moves to my side, teasing me quietly as he follows me, dashing towards the control room currently in battle. The angle of
the deck is more stable now, and it’s easier to run across it. In fact, the tremors from the people running everywhere in panic is more intense than the beating of the waves. But even if the cargo ship is much more stable now, it’s still hard to maintain the right position in these waves, right? This needs a certain set of skills and knowledge. Anyway, right now I need to report the current situation as soon as possible, and then move on to the next stage of the plans, or it’ll be too late once the ship really sinks.

My war plan right now is:

Let Saralegui believe that the cargo ship is going to sink, moving all the Shou Shimaron crewmen onto the lifeboats, then using the maximum capacity and language barrier as an excuse, leave all the shinzokus onboard. Sara will follow us on the small boats to sail across the peaceful sea to Seisakoku, and the shinzokus can leave with the cargo ship, to seek refuge at a country other than Shimaron.

“To be honest… this plan is too simple, no one’ll fall for it, will they?”

“About that… If it were me, I wouldn’t fall for it.”

“Ah! I knew it—”

“But if you just want to trick that young king, hasn’t it gone quite smoothly?”

“You mean Sara? Why!? Is it because Sara is more honest than you?”

“Aiya~ Young Master, isn’t that really rude of you? Gurrier-chan is as honest and innocent as a priestess(3)! However…”

Josak poses like a sophisticated lady, pressing his pointer finger to his lips and raising his head to look upwards.

“Gurrier-chan knows that Young Master is relatively smart, but the other young master is another matter altogether! I think he seems to look down on Young Master a little! If you don’t lie a bit and trick him, he’ll probably step right over you.”

So he thinks that ‘I run really slowly, so I’ll just obediently run home, and won’t steal bases’?

“Hmph! Sometimes I try stealing too.”

The lock on the control room door has been broken, bending at an unnatural angle. I put my hand on it, quietly taking in a deep breath. There’s the smell of the sea breeze in the air.

“Will all the members on this ship please evacuate onto the lifeboats! I have something to request of the helms team--! Please don’t say out what we were discussing in this room… Eh?”

At first there were supposed to be three Shou Shimaron men and two shinzokus, five people in total, but now there are only three figures. Looking around for the other two, I’m surprised to find them on the ground, tied up and bound in hay mats. I just happen to stumble across the oldest star helmsman amongst the Shou Shimaron crew stepping on the younger crewman and tying him up, even carefully gagging him with a cloth. But I don’t ask him what cloth he’s using, to save him some face.

“Eh? Mn—What are you doing?”

Is this internal conflict, or mutiny? Though it seems a bit too small scale.

“Ah, Your Majesty. Forgive me! I let you s-see such an embarrassing thing!”

“No, I should be apologizing. I’m still bothering you at a time like this… what on earth are you doing?”

Hearing someone from another country address me respectfully as Your Majesty made me feel shy, and I had to resist the urge to correct him, ‘Your king should be Saralegui, right?’

“I’m here to ask you to keep a secret… But from the looks of things something came up.”

“Yes. Ah, no… You’re right… Your Majesty from Shin Makoku, we’ve already made up our minds, to live or die with this ship, which is like the life of a seaman. This is our collective wish as a crew.”

“Mm-gaah—”

The star helmsman kicks the bound young man to quiet him down. The thin girl and the man still holding the wheel, on the other hand, are standing and staring with their mouths wide open.

“Please convey this message to His Majesty Saralegui—This cargo ship… is old and worn out, and probably outdated by today’s standards, but it’s still after all an important boat handed to us by the previous king of Shou Shimaron, His Majesty Gilbert. Even if it’s just a small, dirty, broken-up ship in His Majesty Saralegui’s eyes, it’s still an important property of the country. Without the permission of His Majesty Gilbert and the people, we can’t abandon it so easily. So we three helmsman have decided not to abandon ship.”

“Mm-mm-gaa—”

“That’s right, this kid here is also saying, ‘Even if we have to die in these waters, we won’t leave this ship.’ Aiya~ Although his position isn’t high, he still is a seaman at heart, how impressive! Wahaha, wahahaha!”

Perhaps he’s trying to liven up the atmosphere, because the previously completely silent room is suddenly filled with awkward laughter.

The one to sink with the ship should be captain, right? Even I’m not sure if I should correct him.

“Uh—Hold on a sec, star helmsman. You should know that this cargo ship is fine, right?”

“More or less.”

“If so, you should know that right now we don’t need any tear-jerking famous captains, right?”

“I know. That’s why I don’t plan on doing what I said. I just hope you can convey my message to His Majesty Saralegui… Because, Your Majesty…”

The man looks troubled, drooping his eyebrows. He glances at the shinzoku at the helm, and then averts his gaze awkwardly.

“I’m worried that if we just leave them and the people at the bottom of the boat, the same thing might happen again. Even if he has the ability to cross this nightmarish currents, what about the voyage afterwards? Without a decent crew and a detailed navigation map, he might do the same thing as last time, and steer the ship towards Shou Shimaron.”

His fingers are playing with the ropes. It could be just me, but I feel as though even the roots of his ears are red. Looks like seamen are all rather innocent.

“I… That… I just feel that it’s such a waste to send this genius helmsman back to Seisakoku as a slave. Whatever… I’ll just say it honestly, truth is I refuse to admit defeat!”

“Refuse to admit defeat? What’s there to admit?”

The star helmsman stomps down on his subordinate in frustration, even the cracks between his beard turning scarlet.

“His ability—I envy the fact that he has the ability to steer this ship past these waves! As a helmsman, I hope to learn from him. I hope that before I die, I can learn how to traverse those currents safely, the skills to conquer the unconquerable!”

“But aren’t they slaves?”

I know it’s mean to say that now, but I can’t help my expression slowly melting, and continue with my hands on my hips,

“I remember you said that, right? You said that they’re inferior creatures. Something like that shouldn’t have anything worth learning from, right?”

“As expected of the Young Master. Your words really hit the sweet spot~”

Another even meaner line comes from beside me. Only his words inexplicably make my heart feel warmer. As for Josak, who’s almost laughing out loud, there isn’t any irony in his tone at all.

The Shou Shimaron crewman lowers his head. He’s just staring at his fingers, as though some important answer is written there. Being in a hurry, we don’t wait for his reply, crossing the room to prepare for the next action. Right then, he finally says in an almost inaudible voice,

“Because…”

“What?”

“We never thought that there are other people with skills and abilities in this world, we never even thought of them as people like us… Because we didn’t know, and we didn’t want to know.”

“Star helmsman.”

Aaah~ Right now I’m touched beyond words, but I don’t show it, and purposely act calm, patting the old hand helmsman’s shoulder. It feels as though the back of this seaman suddenly became so small.

“Since you know that, don’t call them slaves anymore…”

“Yes, sir!”

Josak roughly rolls up the paper by the window-side as he nods proudly.

“You fell in love with him, didn’t you?”

Even the two shinzokus with their language barriers protest ‘No way--!?’ at the same time. It’s not like that, right? It shouldn’t be, and even if it is I don’t plan on finding out.

“Now we should leave everything to the two key people who are deeply in love, because we have to go soon. Right! Emergency substitute captain, I found the navigation map for the outer seas! Please read it carefully, and lead these refugees to a suitable place. Mn—To get to Seisakoku we need this map over here…”

“Listen up, star helmsman, at the very least you need to get to Shou Shimaron… Ah~ that’s right! I don’t know if this is useful to you guys, but…”

I simply grab a piece of paper and start scribbling on the yellowed back. But because the paper was soaked in seawater, it’s tough writing.

“It’d be best if you could get to my country… But you might not have enough food and water supplies. Damn! It’s so hard to write… Whatever, no matter how hard I concentrate, my writing is still horrible anyway. Kaberkott, Sverera, Caloria… Mn, that’s right! Maybe the countries around Shin Makoku can help out too. In any case, as long as you get to a country that’s not under Shimaron rule, even if you can’t land, they will still provide supplies, because I asked beforehand… Here! Although the handwriting is really ugly, at least there’s my signature on it.”

The hastily written essay on the back of a navigation map is just like the slip of paper next to the telephone—bad sentence structures, weird grammar, nothing more than a bunch of nouns. But at least it’s understandable, and there’s my signature too, so ugly no one can copy it. Not only the mazoku, now Mr Hyscliff and Flynn will also lend a hand.

My brain is small, and I can’t store a lot in my memory, so I always thought I could never remember this world’s words. After all, conversing is no problem, so it’s okay even if I can’t read. That’s why I was lazy to practice my writing. But it’s different now, now I’m extremely thankful for Günter, who taught me patiently.

Accepting the soaking wet handwritten letter, the star helmsman stares directly at my face.

“I didn’t think that the mazoku… No, I didn’t think that the other countries have fallen under Your Majesty’s rule without us noticing.”

“Rule? How can I let anyone fall under my rule? Although I’m the king, I’m still just a rookie who just started, who would obey a newbie like me? Oh, yeah, it’s better not to say that just now, my stuff doesn’t matter much.”

I grab the star helmsman’s usual hand, the one holding the ropes.

“You must finish this mission, I now appoint you as the emergency captain of this refugee ship.”

Holding his hand, I suddenly realize I don’t know his real name.

Speaking of which, Sara’s flagship was called the Golden Salmon. I actually remember the name of a ship I rode for just a few minutes, but not the name of the vessel that carried me on this long journey.

“I’m such an idiot, I actually forgot to ask your name and the name of the ship.”

The corners of the Shou Shimaron man’s mouth and his beard start shaking, and he shake his head gently before grasping my right hand forcefully.

“Your Majesty, this ship is called ‘The Wooden Bear Carving and the Salmon’. As for my name, it’s not important.”

“Well, dammit, you’re too cool! Star captain, I promise you here and now, to remember your deeds, I’ll put a wooden bear carving at the entrance of my house for decoration.”

Truth is there was one there since ten years ago. Not only my house, but my cousin’s and Murata’s living rooms have one too. Looks like this ship was widely loved by the Japanese since ancient times.

“All right, Young Master, since we’ve decided who the new captain is, it’s time for us to scram.”

“Got it!”

Releasing the Shimaron man’s hand, I hold out my right hand to the two shinzoku. The man is still holding the wheel tightly with his stick-thin hands, looking too busy to shake hands with me, but I quickly notice the difference in habits. But even the girl whose golden eyes are filled with tears, has no intention of shaking my hand, maybe because our way of expressing emotion is different than that of Seisakoku?

“Do your best, I’m rooting for you! I’m sorry I couldn’t help much, and really sorry I can’t take you with me, so sorry.”

I really wish she could teach me any formal farewells the shinzoku have, but it’d be too hard to explain.

“I can’t help you any more than this, but your god will definitely follow you. Although I don’t know what kind of god it is, but he’ll definitely protect… Eh?”

The girl suddenly grabs my wrist, and rolls up the kitchen uniform sleeve, then she uses her stick-thin finger to press on it.

“That hurts, that hurts! That really hurts!”

Her fingernail is scratching the inner part of my arm forcefully, and it quickly starts swelling and bleeding. I want to pull my hand back, but she suddenly finds strength from goodness knows where, holding onto me tightly and not letting go. The girl’s fingernails are different from Saralegui’s perfectly manicured ones, worm till they’re round and short, and she uses then to draw lines on my arm. Her lowered chin and slender shoulders are shuddering, up and down.

The long wound becomes a curved line, soon turning into a five centimeter long hexagon, with lines connecting the corners inside to form a star, like a simple diamond sign.

“Venera.”

The girl’s golden eyes are sparkling underneath her long lashes, and she says it again, a smile on her face. Since we met, this is the first time she smiled so brightly, hopeful.

“Find Venera.”

“Tell me! What’s Venera!? Is it a person’s name!?”

“Your Majesty! That riddle might take years to solve.”

The spy rushes me, because we can’t linger any longer. Josak’s decision is right, so I resist the urge to grab her shoulders and shake her wildly. Still, I can’t keep my impulse completely under control, so I hug the girl’s body, so thin it could almost break, tightly.

“Wait for me, next time we’ll definitely meet in my country.”

Although we can’t understand each other, I still feel the girl in my arms seem to nod, though it could just be the shaking of the boat.

After getting onto four separate lifeboats, we wave goodbye to ‘the Wooden Bear Carving and the Salmon’. The star captain is standing on the helm of the cargo ship far away, waving a yellow handkerchief slowly, looking blissful.

The crewmen who don’t know the truth, some of them had tears in their eyes when they heard of the three helmsmen’s brave decision, while others tsk-ed and said ‘they sure like to act cool’. The captain, in charge of everything, looks cool; Saralegui, who counts as the owner of the ship doesn’t seem to have much of an interest in the incident, not glancing back even once.

He seems to have put all his thoughts into reaching Seisakoku, how outgoing of him!

We arrive at the calm waters, where the color of the sea is obviously different, but it’s not the same as when we saw it just now either, because now it’s been dyed orange-red by the sunset.

Soon the sky will turn dark. Since we’re unable to land, all we can do is drift on the little boats like leaves, welcoming the night in a foreign land.

The only thing that’s worrying, is that the people on the boats are too densely packed. Over a hundred crewmen are squeezed onto four lifeboats, Josak, Saralegui, Lord Weller and I have to ride on the same boat too- that is the slightly more stable one compared to the other lifeboats, No. 1 steered by the captain.

Even if I’m dressed like a weird chef, I’m still given the royal treatment. To keep me away from the ships filled with young laborers, the captain saved me a spot from the very start. But to me, it’s more relaxing to sit amongst a group of straightforward men, and listen to them brag of their achievements.

And Lord Weller, with his arms crossed before his chest, is less than three steps away from me. That’s hardly surprising, since he’s Saralegui’s guard.

Josak’s expression isn’t pretty. He turns back and looks at the smaller boats behind us, his brow uncharacteristically creased as he says,

“It’d be better to sit on a boat with twenty string men.”

“Relax! There’s no need to be wound up.”

“But Young Master…”

“I won’t simply trust anyone anymore.”

Touching my left arm through my clothes, the inner part of my arm is slightly warm, but the pale red ring on my dominant right hand is as cold as ice. Who’d have thought that it couldn’t even fit on my pinky! When I realize that, that slight pain starts again, and my body starts shivering almost instinctively.

“Are you cold?”

“It’s okay.”

I wrap the insulating clothing I borrowed around my front. After the sun sets, it’s probably going to get even colder, so I can’t start complaining already. To look at the last remaining rays of sunlight, to get a little more warmth, I raise my head.

When our eyes meet, Lord Weller says something softly. At first I thought he was just mumbling to himself, but when I connect the parts that I can hear, I realize immediately that those words are aimed for me.

“Not bad, you’re a rather decent actor.”

We’ve been found out.

He’s found out that we worked together to put on a show, now we don’t know when he’ll report it to Saralegui, so we have to be careful of him.

Because Lord Weller Conrart is my enemy.

1. ‘Sazae-san’ is a character from a long-running comic strip, and her mother’s name is a homophone for ‘boat’. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sazae-san)

2. There’s an old Japanese, “嘘つきは泥棒のはじまり”, lit. lying is the beginning of stealing.

3. My Chinese raws use the kanji meaning ‘priestess’, but on a side note the literal meaning of the term in Chinese is ’witch’ xD

MaruMA:Volume11:Chapter 1

2015-04-01T15:26:39Z

Alaxxis Sade: /* Chapter 1 */

===Chapter 1===

The Shibuya’s oldest son is completely immersed in typing on his keyboard on the bench in the airport, late at night.

It’s a mini machine, about palm-sized. At first it was a simple device for sending mails, but after a hardworking antique dealer’s modifications, and over and over again, finally it was upgraded into a pride-worthy miniature PC.

Its name is ‘Betsujin 27-go’(1).

As for the original, adorable design, it was long since lost in the modifications.

This 27-go is currently refreshing a secretly-operated bishoujo games research site. Of course now isn’t the time to review the latest works, but if it’s blogs and BBS, then maybe a few of the regular visitors might have some opinions for reference?

The title of the forum is ‘Is there a way to make the Niagara Falls flow backwards?’

Perfect! This way he can probably get useful information from younger-sibling-lovers all over the world… if there is any. Even if he can’t get intel, maybe when everyone is discussing their deep thoughts and ideas, Ikkyu-san will come up with something good! Such as asking the Niagara hermit, or something really neat IN Niagara… etc.

He might as well post on the military weapon forums he usually goes to as well. To Shouri, this is a time of emergency, so be it bishoujo game enthusiasts or military weapon enthusiasts, they’re all people he will ask for help. He even wants to use the judo pincer grip to force them to think.

After all, his only little brother whom he’d adored for sixteen years is currently missing. This isn’t something trivial like camping out for no reason, running away from home, or singing songs at the KTV all night, either.

He went missing in another world.

Another world!

It’s as though he has some disappearing jutsu, even radars can’t find him. Forget radars, all the technology in the world can’t help. His precious brother went to the world of swords, magic, and ‘Yuu-chan is so moe’ and never came back…

Does that RPG stuff really happen!?

Just hearing Yuuri’s friend, Murata’s words makes it hard to believe. Who’d have thought that there are such imaginative little brats in this world, this sort of person will probably go on to make movies. But after he got confirmation from his old acquaintance, Bob, the believability of it all increased significantly.

That unique American is a family friend since his grandfather’s generation, and every time they meet he says some outrageous things. To other people, he’s a guy with extremely normal Robert de Niro looks, and a man with an extremely normal platinum English Express card. There’s only one thing about him that stands out…

This Mr Bob, is the Maou.

Since the bona fide Maou of the Earth himself said it clearly, then he has no choice but to believe that his little brother is facing some sort of crisis. Besides, Bob even stared at him through those weird sunglasses, so it’s really hard to laugh it off as a joke.

“Yuu-chan… poor Yuu-chan.”

Baby brother—That high school student whose head is full of only baseball bats, baseballs and baseball gloves, actually went to world 180 degrees different from Earth to be the Maou. His little brain is probably being tortured by things like taxes, annual incomes, economic meltdowns, stock markets… etc, isn’t it? After all, his math isn’t good.

At any rate he has to fly there as soon as possible and bring his little brother back! If it was a stranger with no connections whatsoever then that’s another matter, but he is his older brother, Shouri! How can he just put his head into the spot-billed suck pond and pretend he didn’t see anything?

“Those two damned black glasses and white glasses, telling me about Niagara and Fuji, when they themselves actually ran to Haneda Domestic Airport. After talking so much about so many other places, why are there foreigners running to Haneda Domestic Airport now?”

Shibuya Shouri pushes his glasses up with his hand, muttering away. To him, his glasses are already a part of his face, so there’s no problem there.

Bob and Murata are headed to the pride of the Japanese people, Haneda Airport, to meet a man named Rodriguez. He’s a master amongst the Earth mazoku, and has a connection with that world.

Where did that Rodriguez come from? Russia? Korea? Or China?

On the other hand, Shouri, planning to make Niagara flow backwards, is operating along, bringing the brand new passport from ten years ago to Haneda International Airport.

It was past eight at night when he reached Haneda. Although the international flights were still coming and going, but since evening the rain has been getting heavier and heavier. Since there aren’t any passengers who bothered the ladies behind the counters about it yet, so they’re still smiling gracefully.

And right now the only funds he can use are his pathetic student credit card, but at least he can still buy two-way tickets to Oregon. Only, when he was asked, ‘Is Economy class okay?’, all he could do was nod his head obediently in reply. Back then he quietly yelled in his heart, ‘Dammit! I’ll definitely make it rich—”

It’s just that the share he bought last year haven’t earned a single cent until now.

“Excuse me, do you want to be put on the waiting list?”

Since he was lining up with complicated feelings in front of the counter, when he is suddenly told that the flight is full, he really had a feeling of disappointment.

“Is Oregon that popular? Oh, right, now is the autumn tourism season, people always say ‘Autumn Starts in Oregon’(2), so that’s why it’s full…”

“Mister, if you’re headed for the Niagara Falls, shouldn’t you be going to Canada?”

“I-I know that. I also know that monkeys will fall from trees, so no matter how capable a person he will still make a mistake someday.”

Shibuya Shouri, who hasn’t been embarrassed in public for a long time, is corrected by the smiling lady staff. He doesn’t want them to find out that he had allegedly returned here from America. And when he’s waiting for a replacement seat, quite a few flights can’t take off due to the weather. The passengers who can’t get onto their flights fill up the benches, and the hall gets stuffy with their discontent. It’s only the end of October in Japan, so they’re still very slapdash with the air conditioning.

But everyone doesn’t want to go outside either. Thanks to the growing winds, the rain has become a sideways-flying storm. Looking at the gale beating on the glass windows, he just realized that the Kanto area is affected by a hurricane.

There are already people ready to camp out for the night, and other graceful business travelers plan to wait patiently at a nearby hotel. People who can’t do either of the above and have a temper to boot, start venting out their frustrations on the staff, so you can hear the travelers’ dissatisfied complaints everywhere.

Having successfully updated the web page, Shouri closes his trusty ‘Bestujin 27-go’. The guy beside the guy beside the guy beside him is an office worker who can’t sit still because he can’t take a smoke—he deduced that from the smell of cigarettes on his clothes. If it was that little brother of his who puts health above everything else and hates cigarettes, he probably wouldn’t be able to sit quietly for even five minutes.

Just then Shouri plans on playing a little trick, and so he heads for the lounge especially for business class VIPs. The friendly female staff stands beside the PC, waiting for the passengers to come in for a break. He tries to use Bob’s name, and doesn’t expect it when he’s easily let into the VIP lounge.

Thank you, Bob. I thought all you were good for was dressing up sexily with two shells covering your bits in front and dancing the samba, so it never occurred to me that you could come in handy at a place like this.

The VIP lounge and the waiting area where the normal passengers are squashed together is completely different, this is practically heaven in comparison. In the practical room painted with deep colors, there are many empty and soft sofas that let you sink in them, and the air conditioning is very suitable too. Other than providing coffee, red tea and other non-alcoholic beverages, there is also a complete display of business-related magazines on the racks, though there aren’t any newspaper sport sections.

“This is practically a different world!”

In a little booklet just lying around, it even says that they’ll give you Shigaraki ware as a souvenir for the flight, but first he must be lucky enough to get onto the plane. Surely the airline will give him a tanuki(3), right?

Just as Shouri is imagining himself carrying home a silly-looking omnivore as he adds coffee into his pure white coffee cup and prepares to go back to his seat, he sees that there’s a girl in the otherwise empty lounge. She’s sitting right beside the table where he put his luggage. There are obviously a lot of empty spaces nearby, so why must she choose to sit near Shouri?

But since he was originally sitting there, it would be weird if he suddenly changed seats, so he takes his coffee cup and walks back to her side. Just one look would tell anyone that she’s obviously a foreigner. The natural brown hair is tied neatly, and behind those brown brows are a pair of grey-blue eyes filled with laughter. But her clothes are completely Japanese—the almost bright red bottom and the fish embroidered with gold thread, would not only remind people of a Nagoya lady owner, but it would also be received well, wouldn’t it? But this is an international airport with a hurricane outside, so no matter how friendly her smile is, people will only treat her as a weird foreigner.

It’s still better not to get involved with her. Conservative Shouri sips his coffee, trying to avoid meeting her gaze.

“Hi! How you do--”

“…How you do.”

She really is enthusiastic… What on earth does this foreigner pretending to know Japanese want to do?”

“You, geisha--?”

“…No, I’m not.”

“OH! What a pity, might as well commit seppuku.”

She points at her kimono, raises her head and sticks out her chest, saying proudly, “I’m a geisha.”

“No, you probably aren’t.”

“NO—I should definitely be a geisha.”

Tears gather in those grey-blue eyes. Not only has he made a foreigner cry, it’s a tourist younger than him too, so Shouri hurriedly puts down the magazine he was reading.

“Ah—I apologize, ah—sorry. I never went for a geisha’s performance, neither have I seen a real geisha. I’m really very sorry, it was my fault.”

Though more and more Japanese people are going overseas for their vacations, but there aren’t many foreigners who visit Japan. If he left a bad impression of Japan on her, forget her coming back again for a second trip, she might even turn her friends and family anti-Japanese. Didn’t even the governor of Tokyo strongly pledge to make Japan a tourism giant? Even if she’s the clueless heroine of ‘Kill Bill’, since he’s the first Japanese she came into contact with, he’ll have to treat her kindly.

“This geisha outfit is pretty good! Mn… Especially the salmon swimming upstream, it leaves a lasting impression.”

“NO—these are carp. Don’t you know it’s 1000 AD now?”

“…Haha… ahaha… It’s around 2000 AD now.”

He can’t tell at all if she’s joking, or if she’s just that clueless.

Maybe she misunderstands that he accepted her cold joke, because she starts chatting up Shouri enthusiastically. She takes out the passport in her pocket and shows him,

“I’m here during the fall break to play at my Japanese’s friend’s penis(4)!”

“What!?”

Upon hearing that, Shouri is shocked. How can a young girl say that word in a public area? And also, which fellow taught her wrong Japanese?

“Hold on a sec, miss. It’s not your friend’s penis, it’s your friend’s place.”

“OH—that’s right. It’s my friend’s penis…”

It’s place not penis, just one sound makes a large difference… Defeated, Shouri can’t help but press his brow with three of his fingers.

This world has gone crazy. A young girl can actually say such a crude word so brazenly, what has America come to?

“The other person is my online friend, my online friend, you know—to deepen the exchange between American and Japanese culture, we communicate and help each other out.”

“I really don’t know if I should say, ‘good luck’…”

If what she says is true, then isn’t it a recommendable culture exchange? OH! Japan has really fallen—And it’s not the influence of Japanese English either, but of American Japanese, making people sigh at the loss of the five, seven, five rhythmic beauty of the Japanese language.

“Isn’t your friend coming to meet you? Or are they late ‘cause of the hurricane--”

He really has been affected by her accent.

“NO, NO, NO.”

The girl raises her right hand and waves it in front of her face, symbolizing denial.

“I’m waiting for a man called BOB. Three days before I go to my friend’s penis to play, I plan on first asking him to take me around his New Year’s party—”

“Is that so—”

Shouri reaches out to take the magazine he hadn’t finished reading, and starts checking the chart of last month’s stocks—staring hard at the Euro.

“I hope the Bob you’re talking about is a normal person.”

Once he said that, the two of them fall silent, just staring at the heavy rain outside.

Bob?

“When you say Bob, do you mean that Bob!?”

After blurting out that question, he just realizes how stupid that sounded. Bob is a name you can simply pick off the street, just like a ton of people are called Sanro. Besides, she’s just a tourist who just happened to sit beside him at the airport, so she shouldn’t have any relationship with that Bob.

“Which BOB do you mean by BOB?”

The blue-eyed girl who claims to be a geisha asks back in fluent English.

“He’s a bespectacled, sunglasses-wearing cocky old uncle.”

“Then it can’t be the same person, the BOB I know isn’t cocky at all. The cheerful, open Uncle BOB I know is too HIGH Robert de Niro!”

“Robert de Niro? What a coincidence, the Bob I’m talking about looks a lot like him too, maybe they’re even CLONEs.”

“Eh? Your friend is a CLOWN? Your English sucks. Now even kindergarten brats don’t talk like that.”

T-t-t-then your Japanese isn’t that good either, is it!?

Shouri swallows his urge to yell, gripping his fists tightly on his knees. Shouri, you have to bear with it, at times like this you must bear with it. The person whose teacher wrote ‘bad temper’ on the family contact book isn’t him, it was his younger brother.

“Technically, it shouldn’t be that BOB looks like Robert de Niro, but de Niro who looks like BOB. Because the BOB I’m waiting for has been wearing those sunglasses and sporting that hairstyle for a very, very long time, since even my great grandmother’s time!”

“From your great grandmother’s…”

“That’s right, weird, isn’t it? Just like a monster, right? And he even says half-jokingly that he’s the Maou!”

Shouri suddenly bangs the table top with his fist, and the coffee cup makes a sharp sound.

“What’s his name!?”

The Boston native in the kimono looks surprised, and then she says in her weird accented Japanese,

“Name? Oh~ My name is Abigail Graves.”

“Not your name, I meant Bob’s full name!”

Very few people can say the Maou of the Earth’s full name.

1. Reference to an old mecha anime, Tetsujin 28-go. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tetsujin_28-go)

2. Reference to a Japanese movie called ‘Love Begins in Oregon’?

3. Shigaraki is home to one of the ‘Six Old Kilns’, and is famous for their ceramic tanuki.
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shigaraki_ware)

4. I apologize for not being able to find a better substitute… What she meant was ‘tomodachinko’, ‘my friend’s house’, but what she said was ‘tomodachinchi’, which means… Well.

MaruMA:Volume11:Chapter 1

2015-04-01T15:12:19Z

Alaxxis Sade: Created page with "===Chapter 1=== The Shibuya’s oldest son is completely immersed in typing on his keyboard on the bench in the airport, late at night. It’s a mini machine, about palm-si..."

MA Series:Registration Page

2015-03-27T17:53:01Z

Alaxxis Sade: /* Side Story 1 - Ojousama to wa Kari no Sugata! */

To re-iterate the registration procedure:

*"First Come, First Served": please register your intended chapters here.

*The maximum number of chapters you are recommended to work on is no more then half of any given volume.

*Maximum number of Translators per volume is two.

*This is not some Binding Contract of "I must do the work I put down here". Choices put down here are negotiable between translators (including their own selves who signed up for it).
<noinclude>
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| [[MA_Series|Return to Main Page]]
|-
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</noinclude>
==Ma Series==

===Volume 01===
*Prologue - [http://www.sakuracities.com/yaoigames/kkmnovel1.php Onadoru Euphoria] - '''Completed'''
*Chapter 1 - [http://www.sakuracities.com/yaoigames/kkmnovel1.php Onadoru Euphoria] - '''Completed'''
*Chapter 2 - [http://www.sakuracities.com/yaoigames/kkmnovel1.php Onadoru Euphoria] - '''Completed'''
*Chapter 3 - [http://www.sakuracities.com/yaoigames/kkmnovel1.php Onadoru Euphoria] - '''Completed'''
*Chapter 4 - [http://www.sakuracities.com/yaoigames/kkmnovel1.php Onadoru Euphoria] - '''Completed'''
*Chapter 5 - [http://www.sakuracities.com/yaoigames/kkmnovel1.php Onadoru Euphoria] - '''Completed'''
*Chapter 6 - [http://www.sakuracities.com/yaoigames/kkmnovel1.php Onadoru Euphoria] - '''Completed'''
*Chapter 7 - [http://www.sakuracities.com/yaoigames/kkmnovel1.php Onadoru Euphoria] - '''Completed'''
*Chapter 8 - [http://www.sakuracities.com/yaoigames/kkmnovel1.php Onadoru Euphoria] - '''Completed'''
*Chapter 9 - [http://www.sakuracities.com/yaoigames/kkmnovel1.php Onadoru Euphoria] - '''Completed'''
*Chapter 10 - [http://www.sakuracities.com/yaoigames/kkmnovel1.php Onadoru Euphoria] - '''Completed'''

===Volume 02===
Translated by Asphodel's Haven.

===Volume 03===
*Prologue - '''Completed'''
*Chapter 1 - '''Completed'''
*Chapter 2 - '''Completed'''
*Chapter 3 - '''Completed'''
*Chapter 4 - '''Completed'''
*Chapter 5 - '''Completed'''
*Chapter 6 - '''Completed'''
*Chapter 7 - '''Completed'''
*Chapter 8 - '''Completed'''
*Chapter 9 - '''Completed'''
*Chapter 10 - '''Completed'''
*Chapter 11 - '''Completed'''
*Chapter 12 - '''Completed'''

===Volume 04===
*Prologue - '''Completed'''
*Chapter 1 - '''Completed'''
*Chapter 2 - '''Completed'''
*Chapter 3 - '''Completed'''
*Chapter 4 - '''Completed'''
*Chapter 5 - '''Completed'''
*Chapter 6 - '''Completed'''
*Chapter 7 - '''Completed'''
*Chapter 8 - '''Completed'''
*Chapter 9 - '''Completed'''
*Chapter 10 - '''Completed'''
*Chapter 11 - '''Completed'''

===Short Story 1: Heika to Ma no Tsuku TOSA Nikki!?===
*Prologue - '''Completed'''
*Chapter 1 - '''Completed'''
*Chapter 2 - '''Completed'''
*Chapter 3 - '''Completed'''

===Volume 05===
Translated by Kannnichtfranz on Livejournal. '''Completed'''

===Volume 06===
Translation by Kannnichtfranz on Livejournal. '''Completed'''

===Volume 07===
Translated by vivarina. '''Completed'''

===Volume 08===
*Prologue - [[User:LRenne|Lrenne]] - '''Completed'''
*Chapter 1 - [[User:LRenne|Lrenne]] - '''Completed'''
*Chapter 2 - [[User:LRenne|Lrenne]] - '''Completed'''
*Chapter 3 - '''Completed'''
*Chapter 4 - '''Completed'''
*Chapter 5 - '''Completed'''
*Chapter 6 - '''Completed'''
*Chapter 7 - '''Completed'''
*Chapter 8 - '''Completed'''

===Side Story 1 - Ojousama to wa Kari no Sugata!===
*Prologue [[User:Alaxxis Sade|Alaxxis Sade]] - '''Completed'''
*Chapter 1 [[User:Alaxxis Sade|Alaxxis Sade]] - '''Completed'''
*Chapter 2 [[User:Alaxxis Sade|Alaxxis Sade]] - '''Completed'''
*Chapter 3 [[User:Alaxxis Sade|Alaxxis Sade]] - '''Completed'''
*Chapter 4 [[User:Alaxxis Sade|Alaxxis Sade]] - '''Completed'''
*Chapter 5 [[User:Alaxxis Sade|Alaxxis Sade]] - '''Completed'''
*Chapter 6 [[User:Alaxxis Sade|Alaxxis Sade]] - '''Completed'''
*Chapter 7 [[User:Alaxxis Sade|Alaxxis Sade]] - '''Completed'''
*Chapter 8 [[User:Alaxxis Sade|Alaxxis Sade]] - '''Completed'''

===Volume 09===

*Chapter 1 - '''Completed'''
*Chapter 2 - '''Completed'''
*Chapter 3 [[User:Alaxxis Sade|Alaxxis Sade]] - '''Completed'''
*Chapter 4 [[User:Alaxxis Sade|Alaxxis Sade]] - '''Completed'''
*Chapter 5 [[User:Alaxxis Sade|Alaxxis Sade]] - '''Completed'''
*Chapter 6 [[User:Alaxxis Sade|Alaxxis Sade]] - '''Completed'''
*Chapter 7 [[User:Alaxxis Sade|Alaxxis Sade]] - '''Completed'''
*Chapter 8 [[User:Alaxxis Sade|Alaxxis Sade]] - '''Completed'''
*Chapter 9 [[User:Alaxxis Sade|Alaxxis Sade]] - '''Completed'''
*Chapter 10 [[User:Alaxxis Sade|Alaxxis Sade]] - '''Completed'''
*Afterword [[User:Alaxxis Sade|Alaxxis Sade]] - '''Completed'''

===Short Story 2 - Musoko wa Ma no Tsuku Jiyuugyou!===
*Chater 1
*Chapter 2
*Chapter 3

===Volume 10===

*Prologue [[User:Alaxxis Sade|Alaxxis Sade]] - '''Completed'''
*Chapter 1 [[User:ClavelSangrante|ClavelSangrante]] - [[User:Alaxxis Sade|Alaxxis Sade]] - '''Completed'''
*Chapter 2 [[User:ClavelSangrante|ClavelSangrante]] - [[User:Alaxxis Sade|Alaxxis Sade]] - '''Completed'''
*Chapter 3 [[User:Alaxxis Sade|Alaxxis Sade]] - '''Completed'''
*Chapter 4 [[User:Alaxxis Sade|Alaxxis Sade]] - '''Completed'''
*Chapter 5 [[User:Alaxxis Sade|Alaxxis Sade]] - '''Completed'''
*Chapter 6 [[User:Alaxxis Sade|Alaxxis Sade]] - '''Completed'''
*Chapter 7 [[User:Alaxxis Sade|Alaxxis Sade]] - '''Completed'''
*Short Story [[User:Alaxxis Sade|Alaxxis Sade]] - '''Completed'''

===Volume 11===

*Prologue [[user:Tati-ai|Tati-ai]] (status?)
*Chapter 1 [[user:Tati-ai|Tati-ai]] (status?)
*Chapter 2
*Chapter 3
*Chapter 4
*Chapter 5
*Chapter 6
*Chapter 7
*Chpater 8 pyrrhic_victoly '''Completed'''

===Volume 12===
*Prologue [[User:Alaxxis Sade|Alaxxis Sade]] - '''Completed'''
*Chapter 1
*Chapter 2
*Chapter 3
*Chapter 4
*Chapter 5
*Chapter 6
*Chapter 7
*Chapter 8
*Chapter 9
*Chapter 10

===Volume 13===
*Prologue
*Chapter 1 [[User:Rinetto chan|Rinetto chan]] (status?)
*Chapter 2
*Chapter 3
*Chapter 4
*Chapter 5 [[User:Rinetto chan|Rinetto chan]] '''Completed'''
*Chapter 6 [[User:Rinetto chan|Rinetto chan]] '''Completed'''
*Short Story - (Spanish -> English) [[User:Tasear|Tasear]] - in progress
*Afterword

===Short Stories Volume 3 - Kyo Kara MAou!?===
*Chapter 1 - '''Completed''' by pyrrhic_victoly
*Chapter 2 - '''Completed''' by pyrrhic_victoly
*Chapter 3 - '''Completed''' by pyrrhic_victoly
*Chapter 4 - '''Completed''' by pyrrhic_victoly
*Chapter 5 - '''Completed''' by pyrrhic_victoly

===Volume 14===
*Prologue
*Chapter 1 niveous_magics - '''Completed'''
*Chapter 2 niveous_magics - '''Completed'''
*Chapter 3 niveous_magics - '''Completed'''
*Chapter 4
*Chapter 5 niveous_magics - '''Completed'''
*Chapter 6 niveous_magics - '''Completed'''
*Chapter 7 niveous_magics - '''Completed'''
*Chapter 8
*Chapter 9
*Chapter 10

===Volume 15===
*Prologue [[User:Alaxxis Sade|Alaxxis Sade]] - '''Completed'''
*Chapter 1
*Chapter 2
*Chapter 3
*Chapter 4
*Chapter 5
*Chapter 6
*Chapter 7
*Chapter 8
*Afterword

===Short Stories Volume 4 - Shin MA Koku Yori Ai wo Komete===
*Chapter 1 [[User:Rinetto chan|Rinetto chan]] '''Completed'''
*Chapter 2 macimoci '''Completed'''
*Chapter 3
*Chapter 4
*Chapter 5
*Chapter 6
*Chapter 7

===Volume 16===
*Prologue lieselope '''Completed'''
*Chapter 1
*Chapter 2
*Chapter 3
*Chapter 4
*Chapter 5
*Chapter 6
*Chapter 7
*Chapter 8
*Afterword
*Short Story 1
*Short Story 2

===Volume 17===
*Prologue [[User:Alaxxis Sade|Alaxxis Sade]] '''Completed'''
*Chapter 1
*Chapter 2
*Chapter 3
*Chapter 4
*Chapter 5
*Chapter 6
*Chapter 7
*Chapter 8
*Chapter 9
*Chapter 10
*Chapter 11

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[[Category:Registration Page]]

MaruMA:SideStory01:Chapter 8

2015-03-27T16:57:38Z

Alaxxis Sade: Created page with "===Chapter 8 1980, Spring, Boston=== “And thanks to those heroes, America won the war—” The explanation of the exhibit finally ends with Crystal making up the r..."

===Chapter 8 1980, Spring, Boston===

“And thanks to those heroes, America won the war—”

The explanation of the exhibit finally ends with Crystal making up the reason for World War II ending.

The last group to come and visit never planned to listen to any explanations from the start. Amongst the twenty visitors, half of them are sliding down the banister as a game, the other half are being distracted by other exhibits.

And the girls, worried about the rain destroying their hairdos, are looking at the heavy rain outside the door and sighing, while a pair of young, developed lovers are indulging in a long kiss, regardless of everyone watching.

All in front of a young female mummy.

Crystal can’t help but think something mean, ‘I hope you get cursed—”

The only redhead young man who was listening to her seriously pushes his spectacles up with his pointer finger, asking questions.

In those family friendly movies, there’s always a traditional child genius like him.

“But even if Germany used that ‘Box that will cause floods’, America still won’t lose. After all, there’s an entire sea between America and Germany, so there’s as much water as they could need there, right?”

“That’s true, but the European continent where Germany and England might have seriously damaged.”

The moment the words leaver her mouth, the kid looks at Crystal as though he’s looking at pickled cucumbers,

“England is an island country! Aren’t you a college student? Why don’t you know something so basic as that? Geesh, I always thought it sounded like a hoax, but I still made myself hear out the whole thing, and all that time it was just a made-up fantasy story—”

“Y-you said this is a fantasy story…”

“So, this is fake too?”

The child genius points at the exhibit in the glass case. A left arm, so white from the place of amputation all the way to the fingertips that it’s kinda scary, is lying on the middle of a red cloth, and at first glance you might even think it’s part of a plaster statue. But its surface is as smooth as wax, and there are callouses on the palm that wouldn’t be there on a work of art.

“If this is fake…”

But the kid doesn’t finish listening to her before he runs to his companions near the exit.

“You guys, go home once the rain lets up a bit!”

Crystal sighs, taking off her nametag and getting ready to get the keys from the curator.

Another day is over, and today has finally ended.

As usual, the only visitors are groups after groups of elementary school students, and those kids aren’t here out of personal interest either, they’re just here reluctantly because the teachers use visiting a museum as a replacement for detention.

Actually it’s because this is a small museum that’s built in a safe neighborhood and is free to visit, so the local schools use it a lot.

Although she really likes volunteering at the museum, but sometimes she wish she could explain things to adults too.

She looks around the unassuming museum, and decides that next time they’ll put luxurious and shiny golden things on display.

Although doing this might be a bit insulting to the owner, but this place still needs things that can attract the people to come and visit.

“And then?”

The unexpected sound almost causes her to drop the nametag in her hands. She didn’t think that in the museum that seemed empty, there are still visitors.

“How did that story end?”

He points into the glass case.

Water drips off his sleeve, even forming little puddles by his feet.

He pulls aside the wet hair sticking uncomfortably to his forehead with his right hand, revealing light brown eyes.

“…Is the rain outside really that heavy? I’ll get you a towel.”

Her voice is so nervous it’s shaking slightly.

“It’s okay, I just want to hear more of that story.”

“You’re not from this country, are you? Why are you visiting Boston? Sightseeing?”

“No, you could say I’m here on a mission or for work.”

The words from his mouth are polite and accurate, without a single hint of an accent.

Although the two are similar in age, but the air radiating off of him is just different somehow.

Not only his words and actions, even the way he grew up must have been something special.

And deducing from the way he said ‘mission’, maybe he’s a soldier from another country.

“I want to know what happened to those people after the Box sank.”

“…Henry Regent died not long after that. Apparently the passenger boat he was riding on as the resident doctor was accidentally blown up by friendly fire, but DT and Kou Li are still alive and well to this day, y’know! They have four kids, six grandkids. Their second daughter insisted on becoming a celebrity, so she ran away from home when she was fifteen and wasn’t heard from since… The oldest son and his wife inherited the restaurant, and the younger two live in Boston too. Last year they got great grandkids. Although they’re already more than eighty years old, they’re still enjoying life playing with their grandkids. I heard that that restaurant is always the most modernly-decorated, and is quite famous in Chinatown.”

Since the other person looks surprised, Crystal quickly adds,

“Their glass windows are all made of the newest bulletproof glass. Mike, who inherited the place, feels surprised about that, but I heard his parents refused to let up on that no matter what.”

“Then MISS Graves and… that man named Deuter?”

So as not to displease him, Crystal looks at the young man’s eyes discreetly.

But underneath the light of the exhibits, she can’t even determine the color of his irises.

“…April Graves continued her work after that, which is returning things to the place where they belong. But things like those treasures displayed pompously at large museums, or requests for things like the Holy Grail which people worship, she stays far away from them. Ten years ago the Graves Group created this museum, and almost everything here was handled personally by Hazel Graves and her heir, April Graves, but only a few people know that. Although they’re retired, April Graves and Richard Deuter are both healthy and strong. Now they’re in charge of a charity organization, and they fly about here and there every day, busily… Ah~ I can’t stand it anymore, can I ask you a question now?”

He stands with his hands on his waist, tilting his head slightly to make her finish what she has to say.

“Hey, you’re not going to grab a chair and smash the glass case, are you?”

“No, I wouldn’t do something so violent.”

“But, you look just like my grandfather’s pictures from when he was younger.”

“Do we look that similar?”

That’s right, very similar, even those eyes are the same, light brown eyes with irises shining silver.

He narrows those unique eyes, looking at the ‘fake Key’, and then he pulls up his wet fringe again, using perfect textbook and understandable English to say,

“I was introduced by someone to give you a job, I hope you can help me retrieve the real ‘Key’, not the reproduction, from a heavily guarded safe.

“But that’s my grandfather’s family…”

Crystal looks at the young man before her, and counts to five deep within her throat. By the time she reaches the end of her count, she has made her decision.

“Okay! Leave it to me, traveler. I’ll definitely bring it back.”

Because April Graves chose her as an heir. Cystal knows, that what Grandmother gave her isn’t something that can be expressed in numbers.

I must fulfill my duty over the Boxes, and return them to the most suitable place and owners.

“But, can you please tell me the whole story? Are you meeting anyone for dinner? If you don’t mind, I’ll introduce you to a trendy restaurant, we can talk slowly there. Start with your name and where you come from.”

That’s right, Grandmother has taught me all the important things.

Including the way to trust people.

MaruMA:SideStory01:Chapter 7

2015-03-27T16:55:08Z

Alaxxis Sade: Created page with "===Chapter 7 Lindau=== There are only two roads leading into the island. Since the other end of the bridge over the water route is connected to the metal train bridge, ..."

===Chapter 7 Lindau===

There are only two roads leading into the island.

Since the other end of the bridge over the water route is connected to the metal train bridge, and the gate has been lowered, there is actually one route they can use.

“If they set an ambush there, things will get dangerous.”

But reality is the exact opposite of what Regent was worried about. This city, quietly awaiting the arrival of the evening, doesn’t have any sort of customs at all.

The little island that can be walked around in one hour is known as the ‘Pearl in the Lake’. There are three islands south-east of Bodensee, and Lindau is the city built to connect these three islands. Since Austria and Switzerland are just on the other side of the lake, it used to be easily traversed by boat.

Even those soldiers with their scenery-ruining uniforms seem much more cheerful on this island. There’s a relaxed air of a lakeside city here, unlike the killing atmosphere in Berlin.

“This place is so peaceful, so quiet, it makes you feel like the hustle and bustle in the other cities isn’t real.”

Sitting on the back of the lorry and watching over the haystack, April unknowingly voices her true thoughts.

“Although their property was confiscated, but the Jews can still leave through the land route and air route. Even if those routes are prohibited and they can’t move freely, they will still definitely use this lake as an escape route. Then the country will send people to watch it closely, and this lake won’t be able to maintain its beauty.”

“Will something so cruel really happen?”

A shadow flashes across Deuter’s silver-shining eyes, and he replies half self-condescendingly,

“If no one comes out to stop it, then it’s highly possible.”

“But I still find it hard to imagine.”

The French doctor who got out of the front passenger seat helps April down as he looks behind him

“Why would the pursuers make the wrong deduction? Technically they should easily be able to guess the group who took away the Box, and our destination.”

“It’s actually very simple.”

Dressed as an officer, Deuter brushes the hay off the surface of the Box, and then lightly pats away the bits stuck to his sleeve.

“They probably think that we would fly the cargo plane directly to France, since that’s the simplest way. But they only want to use the Box, so they can’t imagine that we would sink that thing we worked so hard to get into the bottom of the lake. But thankfully for their greed, we’ve bought ourselves some time.”

“Are we really going to sink it? Sinking it to the bottom of the lake, is it really okay?”

Regent nods, looking at an uneasy April,

“That’s why we’re here for, April.”

April touches the part of the cover that’s revealed, moving her fingertip across the decorative parts carved with words and symbols. Sealing it forever before deciphering this part, is that all right?

Actually they have already come to the conclusion of sinking ‘Mirror’s Depth’ into Bodensee, that’s why they came to Lindau.

This Box must never fall into any more evil hands.

To prevent the worst case scenario, the best way is to sink it to the bottom of the lake where no one can reach it.

Regent and Deuter agree on that.

The difference is whether or not to destroy it.

Deuter maintains a soldier’s point of view, and thinks that it’s best to deface it until you can’t see its original shape at all, but according to Regent, destroying it seems to carry a certain risk.

If that impact accidentally opens the door in the Box, thereby releasing the sealed power…

“The original ‘Key’, which is the owner of the ‘pure water’ hasn’t been born into this world yet, in other words no one can control this power now. If tragedy strikes and everything is engulfed in water, all anyone can do is watch from the side helplessly.

Deuter is convinced by his argument, and decides to just sink it.

As evening approaches, Lindau Harbor is extremely quiet, there’s just the slow orange ripples on the surface of the lake.

After they walk past the old streets and arrive at the old dock, Regent once again speaks up,

“Although this time we successfully threw off our pursuers, but this doesn’t mean we’ll never be found. For all we know, they may already have chased us to this vicinity.”

“That I know, that’s why we must get this done as soon as possible. Try to find a speedboat… Ah, never give something like this to Richard to handle, that man will do something those horrible customs officers.”

“How many times do you want me to say it, I’m not called Richard!”

The French doctor pushes his glasses up his nose, interrupted their back-and-forth argument,

“It’s not just that, I think we should split up.”

“Split up? But there’s only one Box!”

Deuter ‘mnh’s once, and then turns around to tear down two ‘卐’ banners beside him, borrowing a wooden box from a deserted market and wrapping it up with the red cloth.

As long they wrap up the real Box with cloth as well, they look just like two coffins lined up next to each other.

“Like this the real and the fake are both completed. Although it’ll never stand up to close scrutiny, but from afar it should be impossible to differentiate, then everything should be good to go. Bur, who will take the real Box? Basically we can’t tell which side will be more dangerous…”

“Truth is both are dangerous, let me take the real…”

“I’ll transport the real one.”

DT, annoyed since he was called off the plane, glances at April.

“Because I’m the owner of the Box, Grandma asked me to bury it.”

“Then I’ll go with April…”

“No.”

The heiress’s partner's brows droop unhappily at Regent’s prompt objection.

“What—I am still April’s partner! Even Hazel handed her to me and asked me to take care of her—!”

“Mnh, but this time I think it’s better for her to partner up with Richard. DT, you said so yourself that Hazel handed her granddaughter to you, is precisely because April is still imperfect. Personally I feel that right now what she needs the most isn’t a helicopter pilot that can help her escape, but the true owner of the Key.”

“What?! Richard is the true owner of the Key?”

“Ah, but listen to me, DT, the Key Richard has isn’t the Key to the Box, but the left arm passed down through the generations in Richard’s family.”

“…You guys… are getting it wrong on purpose…”

Finally, April and Deuter ride on the boat with the real Box, while DT and Regent take the one with the normal wooden box.

On the speedboats that weren’t taken by force or bought at a high price, there are cargos wrapped up in cloth with the ‘卐’ sign.

The atmosphere is like that of a child’s funeral.”

Regent unties the hemp rope connected to the old jetty as he asks Deuter casually,

“Have I met you somewhere before?”

“…Why? Is this some new pick-up line?”

“No, I’m asking you in all seriousness. I seem to have seen those eyes of yours that shine silver before. If the person I saw wasn’t you, maybe it was your parents? Have they participated on the front lines in some war?”

“My old man isn’t a soldier.”

Regent cocks his head suspiciously, making the pose of someone frustrated, and then looks at Deuter’s eyes again, this time cutting to the chase.

“Or could you be the descendant of some man from far away?”

“If you’re talking about the man who fell from the sky soaking wet, then I had no choice but to be his descendant.”

“I see… Then Richard, you are Berard’s…”

“This isn’t a particularly happy topic of conversation, I personally try to avoids mentioning it.”

He shows the expression of someone who doesn’t like being interrogated. As the boat quietly leaves the old harbor, the sky and the streets have been dyed red.

Even the Alpines in the distance turn red, and the reflection of the twilight horizon is reflected shakily on the surface of the lake.”

April sighs, feeling it deeply. She finally understands a little the feeling of those people who love this land passionately and would sacrifice their lives for their country.”

“I think eventually this will become a battlefield too.”

“But it’s so beautiful here…”

“Although we’re desperately trying to prevent that from happening, but we really are forced by the circumstances.”

Although he’s wearing the uniform of an SS officer, neither his body nor his heart belongs to the Nazis. Those in the minority opposition rarely get the fruits of their efforts, and their fate is more than likely to fail.

“Looks like Hitler will still complete his empire, and be hated by the entire world as a dictator.”

“Don’t say such despairing stuff!”

April grabs the oars from him, and rows with all her might, closing the distance in one go.

“I’ll row! After all, your dislocated shoulder has just recovered.”

Deuter just watches her quick and agile movements quietly. The speedboat hasn’t reached the deep waters yet, and April looks around distractedly.

“We probably won’t be heard if we start the engine now?”

“…Ah, that’s right.”

She pulls the oars back into the boat, and then pulls the strong on the motor, but the motor just makes a coughing sound, then it doesn’t budge at all. Then her gaze, looking upwards, suddenly stops.

“…I didn’t think that there’d be a lion statue here too.”

Deuter turns around to follow her gaze, there’s a stone lion on a cliff in the east, sitting firmly on a pedestal about five to six feet tall and looking down.

“That’s a Babylonian lion statue.”

April has an indescribable feeling of reassurance, as though a great weight was lifted off her shoulders. Looks like this is the right place, they can’t go wrong sinking it here.

“If it’s here, maybe it won’t be lonely anymore.”

“What do you mean, lonely? Don’t tell me you’ve grown feelings for the Box?”

That part of soldiers always ruins the mood.

“Because the pictures engraved on the metal part of the Box is a lot like the lion on Ishtar’s door. I was just thinking that if there are two lions, then they shouldn’t be lonely anymore. But thinking about it, that day I actually wanted to see the lion.”

“That should be in the new museum next door, right?”

“That’s right. But if back then I had really gone to see the lion, then I wouldn’t have met Richard.”

“I’m not called Richard…”

Deuter purposely lowers his head and avoids looking at April, hiding his not unhappy pained smile. He carefully changes positions with April on the boat, and then takes the starter string for the motor.

“Let me start it, if we continue like this it’s no different from a hand-rowed boat, and the other team has started up their motor already, too.”

Looks like he’s really well-versed with this, he just has to pull it once to start it, but the smooth sound of the motor is interrupted by the sound of propellers from the evening horizon.

“Crap, those guys plan on an aerial strike.”

Before Deuter can finish his words, two double-engine scouting plans have appeared.

The sky is quickly becoming dark purple, they can’t tell what kind of plane those are by the shadows alone, but they can be sure that they’ve become the targets.

Because the plane heads towards DT and Regent’s boat, still visible, and even tosses down a detonated bomb.

“DT! Regent!”

The place where her comrades are is replaced by a large upward splash, and for a moment April cannot control herself.

“Is it real? They really deployed the air forces? Their target is just a box, an unassuming normal box! They haven’t even confirmed what kind of shocking power it has, why have even the air forces appeared!?”

“Calm down, Graves! That was a detonated bomb, so they won’t be blown to pieces, after all the enemy still wants to get back the Box. They just plan to blow us upside down before we land, and then take the chance to get the Box back… Wait a sec! Why would those guys be so sure we would pass through Switzerland? Hey, turn off the light! Otherwise we’ll be the best target!”

But the other plane, upon turning back, has discovered April’s boat. Sure enough, it isn’t sure which target to aim for, but maybe because the other plane has started to attack the other ship, it starts heading their way. Even if the bombs won’t explode, but if the boat is directly hit it will still shatter.

Although they haven’t been hit yet, with all the ammo luckily landing around the ship, but they had still better take this chance to row the boat to the middle of the lake, and sink the Box as soon as possible.

“Do you think we can make it to the dead center?”

“It’s not a matter of can or not, we must. If we simply sink it in the shallow waters, all they have to do is send a hundred divers to look for it, and they’ll pull it up in no time.”

April stares in the direction where they saw the silhouette of the boat just now, but maybe it’s because the sky is getting darker, now they can’t see a single boat at all.

“What to do, I can’t see them! Are DT and Regent okay!?”

“Do you still have the time to be worried about others? The plane’s coming, Graves!”

A metal block falls from the sky and hits the side of the boat, causing it to rock dangerously.

Although the Box that they had fixed firmly beforehand is fine, both April and Deuter are thrown off board. It could be that they splashed water into the boat as they fell, causing the motor to die out with a ‘phshh’.

The surroundings are getting darker and murkier, so they can only confirm each other’s safety with their voices.

“Are you okay!?”

“I’m fine, it’s just that water got into my nose.”

“Tsk, you sound relaxed. Hold on tight, I’ll push you into the boat.”

“There’s no need.”

“Now isn’t the time to be stubborn!”

“I’m not being stubborn. I just think that rather than let me get back onto the boat, why don’t we first settle the Box, don’t you think? See, another plane is coming, this one even has a really bright spotlight. If we’re shone on by that thing, what do you think will happen to us?”

The third plane is equipped with a powerful spotlight that can illuminate large sections of the lake, and it’s hovering above the area where DT and Regent were.

Maybe it was attracted by the light, because the plane that just attacked them is flying that way too.

“The way this is going, the place we throw the Box and the whole process of it sinking will be noticed, and then it’ll be pulled up real fast. It must not happen, we must avoid that happening at all costs, so we must finish this before that light approaches this place.”

Deuter is silent for a few seconds, then he puts his foot on the side of the boat, and pulls his soaking wet body onto the boat.

He throws his fallen army hat far, far away, and tosses the life jacket to April, while he takes off his own heavy, drenched coat.

Having caught the life jacket, April rubs her eyes, bleared by the lake water, with her fist.

She can’t see Deuter clearly.

“Graves, listen up! I’m going to cut the rope on the Box now, then I’ll kick the rope overboard. Be careful not to get caught in the rope!”

“Got it.”

“And then, I’ll quickly send this boat into that bright area and blow it up. If you want to see the Nazi symbol on the Box burn, I’ll show you.”

“You said blow it up? How are you… Lieutenant, don’t tell me you never got rid of those explosives!?”

“How could I simply throw away something so dangerous? Graves, you be careful, I’m cutting the rope on the Box now!”

Not long after the sound of fiber being cut, there’s the feeling of something large and light being thrown into the water.

At first it was still floating and rocking on the surface, but before long it started sinking just like Regent said, maybe it was the water flowing in from the cracks.

“Richard, it’s sunk.”

“Very good, now all that’s left is to perform an explosion for you. If we’re lucky the enemy might think that we gave up and blew ourselves up with the Box.”

Just then there’s the rustling sound of a plastic bag, and April knows that Deuter has taken out the explosives.

A match instantly lights up Deuter’s face, the silver light in his eyes twinkling like stars.

After Deuter lights the long fuse, he pulls the string a few times to start the engine.

But since it was practically soaked in the water, the motor refuses to start.

That’s when Deuter stuffs a rectangular leather suitcase at April, holding onto the side of the boat.

“I’ll figure out how to solve this problem. Graves, I’m handing this to you.”

“…This is the left arm! Isn’t it?”

“That’s right. Before a… a suitable person comes for it, I hope you can keep it somewhere where no one with ill intentions can reach it.”

“Who do you mean by ‘a suitable person’?”

“I don’t know, I didn’t ask. Maybe it’s me, maybe it isn’t.”

When he touches April’s hand, he casually mentions something from before.

“How’s your leg? It doesn’t hurt anymore, does it?”

“Why are you mentioning something from so long ago? That recovered ages ago!”

“…That happened just the day before yesterday, April.”

“I say, Richard, if you don’t start the engine now, the fuse will finish burning!”

Deuter replies softly, “That’s true.” And then he pulls the string again.

The sound of the motor isn’t that smooth, but the speedboat does start moving forward slowly.

“Can you swim to Switzerland? I’m sorry I couldn’t carry you onto shore.”

“What are you talking about? Get off the boat, quick! What if it explodes!?”

“No, I can’t get off yet. The speedboat is too unstable, there’s no guarantee the engine won’t suddenly go out. If the fire is extinguished by the waves, then wouldn’t our plan be in vain.

“Richard! I never agreed to such a dangerous plan!”

“The problem is that we’ve always been doing that, Graves, and I’m afraid we’ll have to continue fighting like this from now on.”

“Richard, Lieutenant! The mission was over a long time ago, wasn’t!? Since the situation in Germany is getting worse and worse, why don’t you go to America? Come to America, come back to Boston with me!”

But the speed of the boat falters suddenly.

Deuter throws away the armband signifying his position, and tosses his shirt and tie into the lake too, replying on the top of his voice to the black night, almost as though to himself,

“There’s still something I can do in this country!”

April holds out her right hand, and believes that he will take it with his left.

But the boat recovers and starts roaring as it speeds up.

“Richard!”

By the time she habitually counts to five, the enemy plane illuminates a huge ball of flame right underneath it.

Eventually April endures the waves for a while, but she never got that grasp on her cold right hand.

April Graves swims back towards the shore.

At first she is so slow she barely advances, and after she got used to the water, she gradually increases her speed, until she finds herself confident that she can swim to shore.

On the way she nearly sank several times out of exhaustion, but thanks to the life jacket she’s wearing and her own strength of will, together with the buoyancy of the leather suitcase, she managed to avoid drowning.

Before she can embrace her companions waiting on the shore tightly, all she can do is continue swimming on her own.

But the cold weather and her decreasing body temperature, caused her to almost accidentally fall asleep more than once.

When that happened, though, she would have the same dream, and halfway through that dream she would wake up and continue swimming.

She dreamt of herself floating underneath the blue water, hugging someone’s left arm.

That left arm was very warm.

Different from the cold, pale arm in the suitcase.

MaruMA:SideStory01:Chapter 6

2015-03-20T15:39:53Z

Alaxxis Sade: Created page with "===Chapter 6 Ahrweiler=== After making sure that April got onto the train, DT finally stops his embarrassing actions. To be honest, he’s already pulled out every tri..."

===Chapter 6 Ahrweiler===

After making sure that April got onto the train, DT finally stops his embarrassing actions.

To be honest, he’s already pulled out every trick in his book.

As for the other riot on the other side, obviously it’s the fight the French doctor started with the soldiers.

He’s even reciting poems in a foreign language that’s not German, causing the soldiers a lot of headache.

“Doctor--”

He thumbs backwards, signaling ‘get out of here now’. The unrelenting citizens, on the other hand, rush to the counter, or squeeze to the ticketing booth and demand a refund.

Fighting for their lives against the oncoming crowd, the two finally squeeze their way out of the line and rendezvous.

“W-what a scary riot.”

“Well, of course! After all, a day’s delay will plunge them into an even riskier situation, to ensure their own survival, of course they’d try
their hardest!”

“Hm? Why would they be in such a rush to leave Berlin? Don’t tell me the stock market’s crashing?”

Regent laughs as he tears up his second class ticket, it’s not like they can get a refund anyway.

“You really are so carefree. No, I’m not surprised, I’m saying that sincerely! I finally understand the reason why Hazel liked you so much.”

No matter how you hear it, that sounds sarcastic, but right now DT isn’t angry at all.

Actually, after two years being partners with April, he really has become very patient.

But his wife says he’s become slower, and he can’t actually refute that.

“But is our little heiress there really okay? She was pulled onto the train by a stranger—And it’s one of those infamous SS officers! Really, when did she become so laidback?”

“No, DT, at the very least he’s no stranger. Didn’t we see him yesterday at the hotel? Besides…”

Regent puts on his panama as he weaves through the café swarmed with tourists and their luggage of all sizes.

“…His eyes… those pale brown eyes… that shine oddly, I feel as though I’ve seen them somewhere before. Is it Boston? Or during the war? If it was during the war, then it shouldn’t be him… No, maybe I have to look even further back in time.”

“Eh, really? Did we meet him before? Actually I’m really no good with faces.”

When it comes to DT’s expertise, he can only think of one thing.

“Anyway, we have to catch up as soon as possible. Right now the only possible way is by car, but that will only increase the distance between us. DT, we can’t get out of Berlin by taxi!”

DT stops a white car that had just let the passengers off, and sat inside, told the driver shortly “to the nearest airport” and then sat back onto the chair, looking pissed.

“Didn’t we just go to the airport? The air route has been blocked, and I didn’t know you knew German!”

“German? You’re wrong, I don’t know one bit of it! For these things you can use the global language! Like you, even you don’t know Chinese, you can still name Chinese dishes, right? It’s the same principle.”

The driver who stops at the red light, reconfirms if they want to go to the airport. Towards DT’s almost naggy reply, Regent seems rather impatient.

“But the airplanes have stopped.”

“It’ll fly.”

The car heads north and then turns left, slowly leaving the station. This is the opposite direction of the airport.

“The chances that those airplanes waiting at the airport won’t take off is pretty high, sure, but that’s because they’re passenger planes. But the airport has a lot of ‘planes’ that don’t take passengers, not only are the seats hard, but it’s also easy to get airsick on them, sometimes your entire body will be sticking out of the airplane, and sometimes it’s a matter of life and death. And if you’re unlucky, it can only seat two people.”

“You plan on flying it yourself?!”

“Well, of course. Haha, now you know why Hazel liked me so much, huh?”

This man is always losing his arguments with the teenage girl, but for some reason he always seems particularly happy when he’s mentioning her.

“The reason I partnered with her, is not to help her or teach her, that brat doesn’t need these at all. I don’t know what April herself thinks, but from the beginning Hazel always had very high ratings for her granddaughter, and I don’t think there can be a better teacher than Hazel. There’s no one in the world who can teach that kid, so all that’s left is for her to gather experience on her own.”

“Then why did you have to partner up with her? Because she’s underage?”

“As if. One of the reasons is that I’ve long since had a beautiful little wife, so she probably feels I’m safe; and another reason is that.”

DT points at the metal wire fence in the distance, and the sky behind it. There are quite a few small aircrafts parked on the wide cement ground.

“That’s my last resort for escaping. As long as the thing has wings, I can fly it. From gliders to double-engine planes, or fighter planes, As long as you can get me into the cockpit, even passenger planes aren’t a problem to me. But hijacking is out of my expertise, so I never got to fly a passenger plane.”

“Oh~ So you have such an amazing special skill… Wait a sec, that means you’re in charge of flying, and I’m in charge of hijacking?”

The man of the skies puts his hands behind his head and says, relaxed,

“Up to you, the strike zone is really big anyway.”

Something like hijacking, is not Regent’s expertise, either.

“…I think I’ll just settle with the American dollar.”

This is Bob’s expertise, now.

April is rather angry at the way they’re looking for transportation.

At first they planned to wait until morning and then find a car in Koblenz, but they couldn’t find a base or a second-hand car dealer anywhere. Deuter looks surprised at April, who’s sighing, “I shouldn’t have bought a car in Frankfurt.”

“That’s why I can’t stand you rich Americans, you just buy a car whenever you need one? The way you’re going, you’ll end up the king of car kings with several dozen cars.”

Just then Deuter, dressed in the black uniform, walks into a farmer’s house and seems to discuss something with the owner.

From a distance away, April sees the owner finally shake his head dejectedly, and then he hands some silver keys to the invader.

And then a small lorry drives out of a small garage, with paddy still loaded on the back.

“How did you make a deal with him?”

“Deal? There’s no need for anything like that, I just ordered him to hand his vehicle over for military usage.”

“You snatched it?! Unbelievable! You actually did the same thing as those horrible customs officers! My god—As expected of the infamous SS, that’s why I can’t deal with SS officers. You’ll return it after you use it, right? You’ll fill the tank right up before returning it, too, right? I’m saying this now, but borrowing something without returning it is a crime!”

“…You’re very petty for an adventurer.”

They follow the Rhine for around 60 km, passing by many beautiful bridges.

When they pass through Remasen, she’s hooked by the surrounding scenery, almost forgetting her own mission.

“If you have time to enjoy the river sights, you should use to look out for military vehicles.”

“You’re a real nag, of course I’m looking out. Though if I say a comrade of yours in the same uniform floating down the river, I’ll probably pretend not to notice.”

“Whatever you want, I won’t stop you even if you toss rocks at them… Is the Rhine really that awe-inspiring to you?”

Siting in the passenger seat, April sticks her head out of the window, feeling the cool mountain breeze on her cheeks.

“I’m not awed by the river, and the scenery in America isn’t any worse than Germany’s… but this place has a completely different kind of beauty, I really don’t know how to describe it.”

For example, the scenery of the wide open plains at sunset is really beautiful, but the ancient city dyed orange at twilight is another sort of beauty.

Although she never really considered which kind of beauty she preferred, but just seeing it for the first time, moves her in a way that’s indescribable.

“I just hope something so beautiful won’t be destroyed.”

“Destroyed? By who?”

The American suddenly falls silent, because even she knows the situation in this country isn’t stable.

The river meeting into the Rhine slowly comes into view, and as far as the eyes can see, the hills on both banks are all vineyards.

As for the area behind the vineyard, there’s a stone city wall standing, that’s Ahrweiler. April exclaims,

“It’s my first time seeing such beautiful city walls! Are there really people living in there? It’s not just a tourist spot that opens during the day, is it?”

“…Everyone beyond those walls are common families.”

But the scenery past the city gates isn’t common at all to April.

The old streets are lined with adorable wooden houses, and there are pots of plants at every window.

However, every flag hanging high above the streets has the ‘卐’ sign, it turns out that everyone here supports the dictator.

“God… But why do I feel a bit dizzy?”

“Because these wooden houses are slanted. But, is this worth being so moved about? Aren’t a lot of localized townships like this? What kind of a place do you Americans live in?”

“When you come to America, I’ll give you back those exact same words.”

Just imagining Deuter’s shocked expression when he sees the Texan scenery, April can’t help but giggle to herself.

But the happy tourist times end here.

Because there are five jeeps, hooded lorries, and official black salon cars parked by the city gates.

A couple of guards are yawning, bored, and the two hide in a corner behind the bakery to escape discovery.

“Ahrweiler has been targeted, as expected. When they say ‘pure water’, it’s either here or Donauschingen.”

“Regent was right, after all. He said that to open the Box, those people would definitely come to Ahrweiler.”

“Actually as long as you have a bit of common geological knowledge, anyone can guess that.”

“Well, you thought the same thing they did, too. Ah~ but that smell of food is really very nice.”

“You’re still thinking about breakfast rolls at a time like this?! That’s why I don’t want to partner up with women or brats! If you think this smells good, I suggest you don’t get close to any bakeries in the morning!”

“Stop mentioning anything about good food! And where’s Ahrweiler’s ‘pure water’, anyway? Is it in the church?”

“No.”

After affirming the guards’ equipment, Deuter reaches his hand out for the cargo hold of the small lorry.

He pulls out two guns and an old-looking rifle from the haystack, and tosses the one with the smaller nozzle to April, while she puts the gun into the haystack.

“The spring in Apollinaris was discovered in the vineyard, and fresh water gushes from it to this day. Hey, you had better keep that with you, if we’re attacked, that toy stuffed to your chest isn’t enough!”

“How rude of you! These are my bona fide chests—there’s nothing stuffed there!”

“I see.”

“What the hell are you agreeing for!”

But the spring was only discovered over ninety years ago. Although there’s no way to determine the Box’s year of manufacturing, but it shouldn’t be something so recent.

If the words and symbols were added afterwards, then they can’t deduce the year of manufacturing from that either.

But judging from the state of the metal decay, they can probably deduce the year those parts were added.

“Just those parts added later are already a couple centuries old. Why would a spring that showed up recently be assumed to be the spring? Technically there are older water sources in this world…”

“But the location must be in Germany.”

“Eh?”

“No matter what, it has to be in Germany. An object chosen by God to be holy, cannot exist in any other country, be it the chosen water or person. Sad to say, those are the times we live in.”

Deuter takes out the instrument case, and confirms that the metal lock is sound. He wouldn’t be planning on carrying the ‘Key’ around, would he?

“Don’t you think it’d be better for me to keep it? And Richard, I think those clothes are yours are too eye-catching.”

“I’m not called Richard…. Don’t tell me you want me to wear that?”

After looking April from top to bottom, Deuter looks at his own official uniform. How can his build fit into a girl’s clothes? Defeated by him, April sags her shoulders and says,

“I’m not asking you to exchange clothes with me, I just want to remind you not to be too conspicuous. Hand it here, I think it’s best if I take it, at least I can bluff my way in as a tourist.”

But unfortunately, April can barely take care of herself as it is.

The two of them safely get past the guard station, without their partnership being discovered.

Normal soldiers don’t suspect the SS officer at all, instead they even salute him energetically.

And even if April is only window-shopping without actually buying anything, they don’t pay any particular attention to them.

The spring in Apollinaris is situated in the vineyard beyond the city area. The main squadron seems to be already gathered there, because their occupation made the local atmosphere really tense.

Though they all support Hitler, it seems they’re not so fond of the SS.

When Deuter walks past in his uniform, people already start whispering in the shops.

If they walked on the road looking all authoritative, surely the locals would feel uncomfortable too. Watching Deuter with his hard expression from a side, April finally understands.

But then a familiar face enters her field of vision.

Actually it’s not particularly weird someone in a back uniform saunter around, everyone must be guessing ‘So the research on the Box falls under SS jurisdiction too.’ That blonde hair shining in the afternoon sunlight, in some ways, is just like the uniform, and not special at all.

But as that man approaches, her eyes widen into saucers.

It’s Coruna.

Herm Coruna is walking pompously with his customary confident smile.

“No way? Shouldn’t he be in Berlin?”

Although she really wants to ask his colleague Deuter, she can’t afford to make too much noise.

She tries signaling him when he coincidentally looks her way, but he doesn’t seem to understand at all, just mumbling,

“Something about football?” Not football, it’s Coruna, Co-ru-na, but it’s still useless.

April runs across the road like a little animal, grabbing Deuter’s hand and pulling him into a nearby shop.

Because they are the strange combination of a tourist and a soldier, it would be weird if they went into a souvenir shop to browse around.

Finally they just had to pretend that they were total strangers, standing together and avoiding each other’s gazes.

“Don’t look here! Look forward, keep this stance for now!”

“I didn’t think you would dance that strange dance in public, rather than saying it’s eye-catching, I feel it’s embarrassing.”

“Y-you think I like making those gestures?! Of course not! He’s coming! That guy’s coming!”

“Calm down, who’s ‘that guy’? Little Mustache?”

“Waa! What shocking words! Ah, don’t look there! It’s not, no matter how brazen I am I still wouldn’t call the dictator ‘that guy’. No, it’s that guy! Herm Coruna!”

“Lieutenant Coruna? Why would that man…”

April grabs a nearby handmade souvenir, holding it as though appraising it. It’s a nutcracker Hitler, what an unfortunate sign.

As for the slightly chubby male salesperson directly in front of them, he turns his body around, completely ill-at-ease.

“He can’t have come in after me, right? What a bother, though I’m still single--”

“He shouldn’t have that much free time, right?”

And the response is even more direct.

Coruna arrived earlier than them, which shows that he’s on a mission related to the Box.

Since he belongs to the Cultural Department, and was in charge of the art auction, so he’s probably tasked with taking care of and moving the items confiscated from the emigrants’ hands.

“In that case, ‘Mirror’s Depth’ counts as something under the Cultural Department?”

“Cultural? You’re saying that has the recognition of the Cultural Department.”

What an impressive title.

“Excuse me, you two, my husband has been scared stiff since just now.”

“What?”

The solidly-built lady owner speaks up to the duo, and they raise their heads in unison, seeing that the salesman in front of them has broken out into a cold sweat and curled up into a corner. Crap, they kept staring for too long!

“Ah, no, no! Don’t mistake me as someone with him, that’ll make me very troubled, he’s not my partner at all.”

“Is that so? Then I apologize. Because the two of you just happened to stand close to each other, and seemed interested in the same item.”

She looks at Deuter’s hands, and realizes that he’s holding a Hitler nutcracker too, and its coloring scheme is very unique.

An inexplicable sense of duty rises within April, and she feels that she has no choice but to bluff her way through.

“Really, how could I have confused him with my uncle? But isn’t this man a member of the SS? Of course he would respect and love something like this from the bottom of his heart—”

“Speaking of the SS~”

The completely fearless lady owner talks to her with the relaxed attitude of women conversing.

“Miss, you’re here sightseeing, right? Although you came all this way, I still have to warn you to not approach the spring.”

“Why?”

“Staring from daytime yesterday, there’s been a ton of army squadrons, and they’re building something goodness knows what at the spring. Actually we’re really worried too, if the spring dries up and we can’t make more wine, then we really wouldn’t know what to do. Even if we want to see what’s going on, but they erected tents there so we can’t see a thing. My son did sneak in, though, and he says there’s a dirty wooden box at the bottom of the spring. What are they playing at? Although I don’t know if they’re doing some experiment or ritual, but the military did something so unhygienic, now what are we supposed to do about this year’s wine! I say, Mr Soldier, since you’re in military uniform too, could you help us put in a word, and ask them not to simply mess things up?”

“Ah? Okay.”

The lady owner suddenly directs her words at Deuter, but maybe because he’s not used to interacting with normal people, he jumps in surprise.

As for April, she immediately buys a pair of sunglasses, determining that Coruna had left before she walks onto the street. No matter how you look at her, she’s a suspicious figure.

“Why are you so stupid, how can you act all timid at a time like that? You should have taken out your intimidation skills from that time you stole someone’s car. But at least now we understand the situation a bit more. The Box is here, and those people definitely think that the Apollinaris spring water is the ‘pure water’. They’re sure that the water here is the Key, but the truth is they’re wrong.”

“We have to get the Box back before they try anything wrong. If by any chance they discover the real Key, I alone can’t handle it with my power.”

“Oh, but you’re not alone, are you?”

Deuter’s eyes reveal an intense sense of disappointment.

“I may as well be alone.”

“Don’t you have me?”

“…Not only am I alone, I have a brat pulling me down too… Listen closely, I’ll take this chance to tell you now, even if later we successfully get the Box, I won’t hand it over to you. Even if you say you’re the heir or the owner or whatever, that thing can’t fall into anyone’s hands. If you try to take it to America, I won’t hesitate to open fire and stop you.”

“Don’t worry, I won’t hesitate to counterattack.”

Just then April hears the sound of a jeep and quickly hides behind a sign.

Passing by them is a team of grey uniforms.

“Last time you caused such a scene in Boston, it wouldn’t make a difference if you opened fire on us now, right? But before you attack, please give a word of warning. It’s just that I’m the type of person who gets more worked up when I’m warned.”

Just then she remembers Regent’s advice.

Back then there were a lot of people who wanted it, they were probably willing to pay a lot for it.

This time they must prevent that from happening, and then quickly bury it in a safe place, where no one can misuse it…

“I made a promise.”

If they successfully got back ‘Mirror’s Depth’, she’s going to bury it where no one can find it. That’s something humans must never touch, and must never be allowed to touch.

“And we must use this chance when those people are obsessed about the spring water, to make sure they never find the ‘Key’.”

“What do you mean by that, Graves?”

“Because ‘pure water’ does not mean water, but the blood of a child not yet born into this world.”

“Blood?”

The door must be open with pure water, and only pure water can open it.

Rikhiart Deuter smiles bitterly, his gaze resting on the leather instrument case, then he uses his deep, gentle tone to express sympathy for that child’s fate.

“…What a bloody way of saying it… But then again, if even ‘Wind’s End’s Key is a disgusting left arm that will never rot, it’s no wonder that the Keys to the other Boxes won’t be beautiful or elegant to any extent.”

“Perhaps.”

She can’t help but wonder, scared, what the remaining two Keys are.

After going past the city gates, in the middle of the lush green vineyard not too far away, there’s a huge pale brown canvas, very much like the circus tents she used to watch lions performing in.

There are armed soldiers everywhere, and officers in grey going in and out.

They shouldn’t all be from the Cultural Department, but also the combat team that the land army has a hand in, too.

There’s a truck with the cover removed parked in front of the tent. Unfortunately, the cargo bay is empty.

“Are you trying to sneak in hiding in a place with lax security like this puffy dress?”

“Is that funny? And that’s not a very classy joke.”

April bumps Deuter’s side, changing her tone into one ready for battle.

“Hand me a gun.”

“Didn’t I give one to you just now?”

“I don’t want that kind, I want a machine gun or a rifle.”

“Do you know how to use it? Little kids shouldn’t hold such dangerous…”

She grabs the rifle from Deuter, who continues to mince his words, and then she kneels down, using the empty wine barrel to stabilize the gun.

“I’m already 18, and besides I was already shooting beasts in Alaska way back when I was ten.”

“Who gave you such a scary education!?”

Back then she had shot a huge grizzly bear, apparently it had already killed three people.

Although she didn’t kill it, but when their eyes met, that fellow did definitely say this—it said, ‘Little girl, you’re not bad!’ Though of course it used bear speak.

April carefully takes aim, and then counts to five in her throat.

Once she reaches five, she pulls the trigger, and the next four shots hit all four tires on the truck.

The last fifth shot was aimed for the fuelage, but because she missed, she roughly tsks her tongue, and it takes until the sixth shot to blow a hole. Fuel slowly flows to the panicked soldiers’ feet.

“Unbelievable! I actually missed one!”

“…What kind of education could have created such a scary brat like you…”

They take advantage of the soldiers’ attention on the truck and run to the back of the tent. Not long later, those soldiers will start looking everywhere for the enemy outside. They roll up the waterproof cloth and stick their heads inside, presenting an ugly stance with only the lower half of their bodies sticking out of the tent.

Inside the tent, slightly dim since the sunlight is blocked out, the situation is vastly different from what April imagined.

A thick pipe sticking out from the ground is connected to a huge silver water trough, and there’s even a drainage valve to adjust the amount of water at the end, that’s where the water flows into the tray from.

“That’s the spring water? Why is it completely different from what I imagined—”

“Stop making a fuss, that’s because the bottling factory is still under construction. But even a wet-behind-the-ears brat like you should be able to guess that.”

“Not that, shouldn’t the water flow out from the rocks?”

The duo creep forward, pulling the rest of their bodies inside too, and then they hide behind some building materials, out of sight. There are a few armed soldiers inside, while the other few subordinates are searching the area, and the only officer is wandering around aimlessly. But what’s really surprising to April, is that they actually let more civilians than she thought come in. And just when she was thinking in her mind that a super secret special unit like this would definitely reject any onlookers, then launch their secret plans, too.

“Don’t bother about that first, the most important thing now is to find the Box.”

“Personally I think there’s no need for that.”

Two soldiers are carrying a wooden box over. They seem to want to officer in grey to look at it, but the man doesn’t confirm it particularly, just nods his head lightly.

“It’s a major in the army, could he be the commanding officer here? But that sure is a half-hearted way of dealing with it… But it could also be because he doesn’t know that it has some special powers… What’s the matter with you, Graves?”

“That box is dirty and unassuming, so I’m a little disappointed.”

“…You really dare to say something so disrespectful to God, don’t you.”

What the duo of soldiers brought is just a normal, unremarkable wooden box with a cover. The color of its surface is already black as coal, and the metal sides have rusted too, the size is approximately that of a child’s coffin. If it was a normal grown man, even if he wasn’t particularly strong, he would probably still be able to lift it on his own.

The surrounding crowd suddenly starts a commotion, because the wooden box is placed just near the drainage valve.

April realizes that her tightly-clenched fist is shaking. She’s nervous, so much so she thinks that she can hear the agitated heartbeat of Deuter, standing next to her and almost blocking her entire body.

“T-the spring water really isn’t the ‘Key’, right?”

“I should be the one asking that, right?”

The soldiers work hard to open the cover, and a woman nearby makes a sound like a scream.

“W-what do you think you’re doing!? How can you simply open the Box like that?”

“Quiet! We just have to destroy the lock to open the cover. There’s an indescribable dimension within the Box, should we call it a dimension … we could also say it’s a wall or a door… It feels just like a calm tornado. If we want to calm it down and successfully connect to the dimension within, then we must have the ‘Key’.”

Although he’s talking about connecting special dimensions or whatnot, everyone can only understand his base meaning. If she’d known this would happen, she would have first read Grandmother’s favorite Jules Verne’s works, though just the pictures on the cover alone had her retreating.

“Have you seen inside the Box?”

“No, never, but I think my ancestor was the person who sealed that power inside. That’s the legend that must be passed down through the generations in my family.”

The soldiers who peeked inside close the cover with a bang, then cover their mouths and nose with their hands and starts coughing hard, bending their bodies.

Did they see something they shouldn’t see? Or is there some mechanism inside that spews poison gas!?

As a result everyone present starts moving towards the exit, including the soldiers on guard and the officer who seems to be the commander. What an irresponsible team.

“I-it’s okay!”

The poor sacrificial lamb is choked so badly tears are flowing down his cheeks as he waves one hand. Although everyone heaves a sigh of relief, they then immediately look annoyed. Because there’s a stench inside the tent, as though feces were splashed around.

“The air inside is horrible!”

“Ahh—Ai dun wan na assep za boh ahymoa, wha on uth dith ze pewus ower puh ih theh (I don’t want to accept that Box anymore, what on earth did the precious owner put inside?)”

And so there’s an unsure reply.

“…Sir! Is it eggs?”

“Yoh dun hah to ansa sho sewusly (You don’t have to answer so seriously)!”

There are some lower ranked soldiers who couldn’t stand the smell and ran outside for a breath. There’s nothing better than having less enemy soldiers, as long as everyone runs out for a breath like that, they’ll be able to just waltz in and take the Box away. On the condition that she herself must be able to stand that stench, you could even call this a stench-resisting war.

The soldier forced into this unlucky job decides to open the cover again. After the hinge creaks, the innards of the ancient wooden box is finally revealed.

And then, the soldier prepares to push it right underneath the drainage valve. Although his movements are obviously unstable, but maybe he just wants to get it over and done with quickly, so his pushing force is really strong.

But something seems to have gone wrong, because the Box doesn’t change at all, as though the cover was never opened. Even though April knows very well that they’ll never succeed, she still prays silently in her heart.

So the soldier pushes the entirely opened Box right below the place where the water continuously gushes out. And just then—

“Wait! The spring water in Apollonaris isn’t the ‘Key’, y’know.”

Who is it? Who’s it with the big mouth?

The entrance to the tent is pulled up dramatically, and the afternoon sunlight beams in directly. A black silhouette is standing with his back against the sun, and he has a little patriot next to him, too. April suddenly wants to hold her head and beat her chest.

“..Can someone strangle that man’s neck, please? And put more force into it!”

It’s the Lord Blabbermouth, Lieutenant Herm Coruna.

There’s also a little kid behind him, whose head can barely reach his waist and looks about ten years old. He’s dressed like one of Berlin’s famous mini soldiers, so there are young troops who idolize the dictator even in a backwater place like this. His cropped-short, soft blonde hair, and greenish-blue eyes are both very beautiful. When the freckles on his face disappear, he will surely decide to join the SS. He rushes Coruna, his cheeks rosy and his voice childish,

“The real ‘Key’ isn’t the spring water! So even if you put the spring water inside, the great power won’t awaken!”

Deuter, who most probably hates kids, is mumbling to himself. And the grey-uniformed soldier who seems to be the commander asks the boy excitedly,

“Then, what do you say the ‘Key’ is?”

The little patriot in his replica uniform looks even more proud of himself, replying,

“They said the pure water isn’t the Apollonaris spring, but a kid’s blood or something. They said all that in front of our family shop!”

And then, he uses his thin, fair fingers, to point directly at them.

“Haih~ I’m really very lucky, to be able to see the Box at such a close distance—”

April wriggles her wrist non-stop, talking to the man with his back against hers. She seems to plan on venting her steam on Deuter, because right now she really wants to get that off her chest.

“Isn’t that very good? After all, you always wanted to see the real thing from the start, and besides, it’s my pleasure to let my Young Lady see it in person.”

“What, I didn’t want this kind of a close look! And what do you mean, your pleasure, stop saying things you don’t mean!”

“That should be my line, shouldn’t it? April Graves. Really, nothing good comes out of mixing with kids.”

Deuter is busy wiggling his shoulders, trying to loosen the ropes a bit. Because their hands are tied tightly together, and they’re sitting not far away from the drainage valve and the Box.

“Stop moving! You keep knocking into my shoulder blade, it hurts!”

“You should savor the pain while you’re still alive!”

Looking down at his captives, Herm Coruna’s lips curve into a condescending smile.

“I really can’t imagine how the two of you got together… And Frau Graves, I really am too disappointed in you. I didn’t think that not only didn’t you choose me, but you went and found ‘this freak’. And… God~ And you’re actually still single!”

“That last reason for your disappointment in me, I don’t quite understand it.”

Even though she knows resistance is futile, but trying to escape, April still attempts to speak to Coruna,

“I say, Lieutenant, these ropes are too tight! If you tie us like this the blood circulation will be cut off in no time!”

“I apologize for that part, young miss, but unfortunately not everything has to go your way! Because even though that man back-to-back with you is stupid, he’s also an excellent soldier. If we tied him normally, he’ll break free immediately. After all, whenever we mention Lieutenant Rikhiart Deuter, we know that he’s the man who repeatedly made it out of an impossible situation in the enemy camps in one piece.”

“Then tie me separately from this guy! I’ll introduce DT to you as a token of appreciation.”

“You mean that Asian?”

“That’s right.”

Although it’s a little ridiculous to bring this up now, but Coruna really does hesitate for a while.

Deuter curses as he tries to rhythmically twist his left hand.

If he really was an excellent soldier, technically he shouldn’t have been subdued so easily.

But back then he was aimed at by everyone present… even the villagers, so he naturally had no other choice than to raise his hands in surrender. She never thought that there would be so many hunters on the street, even if she wants to throw caution to the winds and start a gunfight with the military, she can’t bring herself to hurt the innocent uncles and aunties.

“Don’t waste your time.”

The man whose blonde hair and blue eyes go very well with his black uniform, slowly crosses his arms before his chest.

“Although this might make you very uncomfortable, but please bear with it, just for today. On that note, young miss, you’re going to become the first person to be cleansed by the holy water from the Box, such an honor amongst honors has no parallel! You’re really lucky, I’m quite jealous of you!”

“Then I’ll let you have it.”

“Thanks, but no thanks.”

April subtly glances at the place where the construction materials are kept.

Good, no one’s gone near there yet.

Because she hid the leather case in the crack between the extra reinforced steel bars and the waterproof cloths there.

If in this situation even the arm was taken away, goodness knows how badly Deuter will scold her.

“About that Box...”

The grey-uniformed man who seems to be the commander walks over with the child who caused this tragic ending.

The young boy is proud and excited, his face still rosy as a tomato.

“Just because we said the spring isn’t the Key, you really believe it? The problem is I’m an American who’s never even seen what the Box looks like, and a pampered heiress to boot!”

Deuter mutters, “Now she finally admits it.” Of course, she pretends to hear nothing.

“And you are being played around by someone who doesn’t know anything, isn’t that too far away from your German conservative and practical gaming rules?”

“Young miss, this isn’t football, y’know.”

The man who seems to be the commander grabs April’s chin as he says.

He’s wearing the badge of a major and has no excess fat on his face, making him look like wooden and stony.

And his eyes are sunken too, the people around him probably call him the Major of Death.

“If it’s just an American girl’s words, of course we wouldn’t believe it. Because that would just be a tourist’s joke, we’ll just hope you go back to your country as soon as possible. But if the person you’re talking to is Lieutenant Rikhiart Deuter, then that’s another matter altogether. He’s the only person in this country who own something like the ‘Key’, and that’s also the only reason the President favors him so heavily, even promoting him all the way to Lieutenant in the SS. It’s just very unfortunate, because it looks like the spring water isn’t the Key to ‘Mirror’s Depth’… But since that man believed what you said, then we can’t let this go.”

“I—can’t—stand—you, the truth is he doesn’t think anything of it at all! Right, Richard!”

“I’m not called Richard…”

Until now he’s still wriggling his left arm, unwilling to give up. Her back hurts like hell where his shoulder blades knock into her, why won’t this man just give up already.

“Is that so? Lieutenant Rikhiart Deuter. Oh, yes, Lieutenant, a few days ago when my subordinates went collect that left arm, he found out that it was stolen by someone the previous night. Although the staff there says it happened at night so he’s not sure, but in your heart you should know the answer, right?”

“Really?”

The Major of Death’s intimidating gaze fixes on Deuter with his lighter-colored eyes, but his attitude doesn’t change.

“Hmph, so that’s how it is.”

The Major of Death turns around and walks down the pedestal, taking one step away from the Box.

“I had long heard that all of Colonel Hughe’s men are arrogant.”

Seems like that colonel is as annoying as Deuter.

“Is that team of yours called the Complaints Team?”

April asks her comrade, who’s back-to-back with her. Of course he doesn’t reply, because even he couldn’t care less about the division he belongs to.

The commander hmphs coldly, scrutinizing the drainage valve and the captives in turn, and then he calls the two soldiers who were in charge of carrying the Box over, letting the child in the small size uniform stand in front of the Box.

“All right, young patriot.”

The still clueless boy is given a shock when his hands are grabbed by the adults. His face isn’t rosy anymore, and his freckles look more obvious because of it.

“Although you are still young, you’re already an impressive soldier of the Empire, and you should be able to join His Excellency the President’s youth army next year, but we really need your help, and not next year, but right now. How is it? Young patriot, can we ask you to sacrifice your life for His Excellency the President and the Third Empire?”

“That would be my honor!”

The around-ten-year-old boy is so nervous his lips are shaking, and he raises a hand stiffly.

April can’t help but look away. What does a child so young know.

The commander nods in satisfaction, and then signals the two soldiers.

“Impressive! Oh, young warrior, we are really too grateful to you. Then, use your blood as the Key to open the Box. When the Box has been successfully opened and become part of or strength, we brothers-in-arms will sing your name in praises, and spread the story of your use down the generations… Okay, do it!”

Deuter continues twisting his body.

Suddenly there’s a gun pointed at the boy’s temple, making his thin limbs freeze up. Looks like they want the child’s blood to flow into the Box, so they plan on blowing his brains out.

“Wait, what the hell are you doing?! You actually want to do something so scary…”

Although she’s so surprised she wants to straighten up, but because she’s tied together to Deuter, she can’t stand up even if she wanted to.

When his shoulders are grabbed and his mouth covered by the soldier’s hand, the boy starts to turn pale, sweating in terror.

But the unbelievable part is, there isn’t any commotion raised.

It seems like because of the Major and Coruna, the people here to watch the show doesn’t know the actual story behind it.

The finger on the trigger moves slightly.

To prevent this inhumane act, April yells on the top of her lungs,

“Even if you do that, it’s no use!”

The soldier ready to pull the trigger raises his head in surprise.

“Wait! Just wait a sec! Major of Death, I’ll tell you something good, actually I should say that if you don’t listen, you might regret it. You hear me? Dig your ears… Sorry, that was rude. Listen carefully! What they mean by ‘pure water’~ isn’t just the blood of any child! That brat from the Little Mustache pre-army didn’t hear us clearly, the truth is, that child hasn’t even been born in this world yet. It refers to the blood of a child not yet born into this world!”

“You say a child that hasn’t been born into this world?”

The commander frowns slightly, highly doubting if the child she said even exists, his expression clearly suspicious.

And April doesn’t give him a chance to interrupt, blabbering on,

“Ah, are you suspecting me?! Never mind, after all it’s up to you to believe it or not. But if you look down on it because it came from an American heiress, just be careful not to lose more than you gain! Because heiress is just another one of my identities I’m actually the owner of that Box!”

“Are you staking your claim on it?”

“That’s right. Actually I don’t have to stake anything, its current owner is me.”

“No, that Box was natural property the Jews plotted to take away, it can’t possibly belong to an American.”

“But the one who entrusted to Jago Bapu for safekeeping is none other than my grandmother.”

“Lieutenant!”

Deuter behind her and Coruna in front of her react simultaneously. The onlookers really can’t tell which lieutenant the commander is addressing.

“Is this young lady speaking the truth?”

Deuter replies ‘Ja’, while Coruna replies ‘Nein’, and the commander clearly accepts Coruna’s answer.

“This ‘Mirror’s Depth is the national property of our Germany. The great power hidden inside this Box, all of it exists for His Excellency the President and our country.”

“I share the same opinion, but this young lady’s information has piqued my interest. That’s why, Lieutenant Coruna, why don’t we use this new piece of information as reference as well, and complete the mission of finding the true Key?”

“Yessir!”

The Major of Death shoos the half-dejected young boy to a side, ordering his few subordinates and Coruna,

“Men, she said the Key is the blood of a child not yet born into this world. Do you understand what I mean? If you do, bring it here immediately!”

A borrowing race ensues on the scene.

The soldiers and Coruna jog away from the tent, and return a few minutes later panting for breath, bringing two young women with them.

At first April thought they would bring a baby over, and was ready to give them all the swear words in her arsenal, because if she doesn’t do that she won’t be able to control her sanity.

Of course, even if things really got to that point, she would do her best to stop them, no matter what she would try to save the baby’s life.

Although she hasn’t thought of any concrete plans, and her hands are still tied up, but if things got bad, she decides that even if she had to use all her strength to get onto her feet and swing the German tied behind her back, she would still do it to save the child being sacrificed.

But things don’t go as she expected, because the young women aren’t carrying any babies.

“What is this…”

The major moves his cruel gaze. When he glances at April on the ground, the veins on his bloodshot eyes become even more obvious.

“If ‘pure water’ refers to the blood of a child not yet born into this world… Then does it mean this, young lady?”

One of the women hesitantly reaches her hand to her stomach, and then it finally dawns on April. The other woman one step behind her is heavily pregnant too.

They’re both pregnant.

Both of the women are the pregnant mothers-to-be, they’re carrying unborn children inside them.

These cruel Nazis want to use the fetuses as the Key to the ‘Mirror’s Depth’.

Just thinking about makes her want to puke.

The commander nods proudly at his soldiers, and then gives a simple order,

“Cut open their stomachs!”

Everyone present looks like they heard an alien word, and is shocked into stillness.

Finally Coruna is the first person to understand the meaning behind those cruel words, and unsheathes his dark, glistening army sword.

The women aren’t shocked by what’s about to happen, but they scream terrifyingly at the shimmer of steel.

“Stop! You’re wrong, stop! That’s not it…”

April tries to stand up but trips over the loosened ropes and falls to the ground. And the support that was back-to-back against her suddenly disappears, so she’s still tangled by the ropes, falling backwards.

“Richard, where are you going…”

A long and loud gunshot rings out, and one of the soldiers holding down the live sacrifices falls on cue.

April instinctively looks behind her, only to see one of the villagers… a middle-aged man with a stony face holding a hunting rifle.

The smoke rising from the barrel is slowly dissipating.

Maybe he finally realizes the seriousness of the situation, because the man’s shoulders suddenly slump. Just then one of the screaming women stumbles back to her husband’s side.

“…That guy… wanted to… my wife...”

An old man nearby hurriedly presses them both to the ground.

Because all the soldiers who were on guard inside the tent, aim their guns at that man in unison.

“Get down!”

April turns around at the sharp sound from behind her, just in time to see the officer in black kick down the grey uniform, and even take the chance to grab the regulation gun from his waist as he falls.

The gun is pulled out of the holster, and in the shortest distance possible it makes an elegant curve, the safety falling off at the same time, and then he fires one shot at the grey uniform’s stomach. Then he aims at the soldier just about to turn around and fire at him, the legs of the soldiers still watching the villagers, and the wrist of the young soldier who’s holding the pregnant lady’s arm.

Since the interval between each shot is so short, they can’t even hear the sound of the cartridge turning.

When all the bullets run out, he grabs the regulation gun from a fallen soldier, and fires another three rounds.

As for the last shot, it penetrates the sword-wielding Coruna’s right shoulder.

Deuter’s left arm is slumping at an unnatural angle, but just with his right hand he took out all of the German soldiers in the tent.

“Nobody move!”

Maybe it’s because of the pain, his teeth are clenched, and he says aiming someone else’s gun at the commander rolling on the ground.

“If you value your life throw away your weapons! And those outside, don’t come in, or else the next shot won’t be aimed at his side!”

Just as April finally frees herself of the ropes, those who were shot are pressing their wounds and crouching on the ground, while the others throw down their weapons.

“Richard, your arm…”

“All the commoners go outside! Graves, are you hurt?”

“No, I’m as lively as ever.”

“Good, then you go prepare the car. Listen up, there’s no need to purposely buy it with money. Two minutes, get back here immediately within two minutes!”

“Got it.”

April rolls up the waterproof cloth, and leaves the way they came in.

Be it the jeep or the lorries, there are soldiers nearby standing guard, and right now she doesn’t have the energy to avoid detection.

Just then, a familiar little lorry suddenly stops not far away from her. The lady owner of the souvenir shop pokes her head out of the driver’s seat window, saying,

“I drove it here! This is your car, right?”

“Thanks, but why are you doing this?”

“The one who should be thanking you is me, you people saved my son, didn’t you?”

So she’s the young patriot’s mother.

Upon returning to the tent, Deuter uses his helpless left arm and teeth to pull out the bat-shaped thing from the pile of construction material and tie it tightly. The gun in his right hand is still aimed at the major, though.

“Dynamite?! Where did you get that kind of thing from…”

“I want to load the Box onto the car, can someone help me?”

“I was forced to help, she threatened me!”

The lady owner winks and signals, ‘let me do this’, because this way, she won’t be blamed after all this either.

April helps her lift the Box onto the back of the lorry, and even covers it with hay to disguise, but there’s no way to hide that ominous feeling.

“Richard, it’s done.”

Deuter nods without even turning around, and then he lifts the entire bundle of dynamite. That’s a prey even more dangerous than guns.

“Before I count to ninety, none of you are allowed to move, if I find out that any of you have moved before time, then I’ll light this thing up and throw it inside.”

And then he starts counting while running towards the lorry.

“Graves, give me the instrument case!”

“Got it!”

April picks up the leather instrument case, and even helps Deuter wrap it up in the tent material.

She stops Deuter and then goes around to the driver’s seat, getting behind the wheel and practically flying through the town centre.

It’s just that her shocking driving and accelerating, raises a protest from the passenger in the passenger seat.

“Don’t swing around so much! Or the Box will swing right off!”

“Of course it won’t! Can you stop looking down on me? I learned how to drive when I was 16!”

“…That’s only two years.”

“We should be talking about your arm! What’s wrong with your arm!? And there’s a lot of cold sweat on your forehead!”

“My arm’s dislocated.”

“Dislocated… I can’t, I can’t, just thinking about it makes me want to faint.”

So that’s how he managed to get free from such tight ropes?

“But pushing the bone back in is even more… Damn, they’ve caught up.”

His shoulder knocking into the lorry car door, Deuter glances at the rearview mirror and tsks. The first bullet scrapes past the car, and the two quickly lower their heads.

“No way, aren’t your German ninety seconds way too short!?”

“It could be that they’re too stupid, so they only counted to ten.”

Now isn’t the time for jokes.

The enemy is catching up in two jeeps and a black Benz, the Major of Death and Coruna are surely inside too, and they’re relying on their numbers to shoot at them.

Luckily one bullet brushes past between the two, smashing the front and back windshields.

“Damn, Graves, are there any more bullets in the gun?”

“There are.”

Holding the heavy metal weapon, Deuter immediately shoots a few rounds out the back.

The soldier sticking out of the black Benz falls to the ground, and one of the jeeps has its tire punctured, driving into a shop.

The remaining two cars continue to follow them closely at a distance, they plan to use long range guns.

“Are they trying to snipe us with rifles?”

“The reinforcements aren’t here yet? Where are the reinforcements?”

“If we really had reinforcements, I’d have called for them ages ago.”

April spins the steering wheel to the left, shooting past the town gates without slowing down.

Greeting them is the one way road in the vineyard, now they have absolutely no way out.

“That’s too weird. You’re different from us, you should be acting according to military instructions, right? Since you’re acting on that Colonel Hughes’ orders, then you just have to report to your superior officer that you’re in danger and need help, then the colonel should send you reinforcements, right? Not to mention…”

Just then a bullet slices past the air in the car, and they shrink their necks in unison. This bullet was rather dangerous, huh.

“Not to mention, why are you German soldiers fighting amongst each other? Speaking of which, all the problems started with you. At the museum you were hiding from them too, and just now too, not only did you hurt several of them just now, but now you’re starting a gunfight with them? What the hell’s going on? Have you betrayed the German army? That Colonel Hughes, is he the type of commander that doesn’t care if his subordinate betrayed the army?”

“No.”

“Then could it be that to complete a mission that you need to risk your life for, you have to be ready to kill your own comrades in cold blood, and even lose your own life… Then that’s too scary!”

“It’s not what you’re thinking!”

Deuter groans in pain, pressing against his dislocated left shoulder.

He seems to want to use the pain to hide the huge secret he’s going to tell, and finally he can’t help it anymore, yelling out in a voice that won’t lose to the gunshots,

“The colonel doesn’t even exist! From the beginning there was never any person called Colonel Hughes in this world. That’s just a fictional character those of us operating in secret within the army created.”

April pauses for five seconds, and then says in surprise,

“…What!?”

“Not all the people of this country never doubted the current situation, and not all of them idolize or blindly follow that dictator. There are still people like us who are worried for Germany’s future, and want to bring the country back on track. If people in the Party knew about it, we would be executed for treason, but we’re still mentally prepared for it, and we’re willing to fight to the end for our beliefs. And no matter how big the risk, we have to stop this out-of-control train. Maybe we’ll lose our lives for it, maybe our families will be threatened. But even so, even so…”

Rikhiart Deuter looks up into the sky.

“Someone must stand up and stop this country, we can’t let everyone become Nazis.”

Maybe they noticed we’re not shooting back anymore, because the enemy starts closing in on us.

Although April slams down on the accelerator, but the horsepower of a military vehicle and a little old lorry are still different.

Now it’s only a matter of time before they caught up, and even if they could successfully escape this car chase, there’s no way they can dodge all those bullets. If they’re a slightly unlucky, they might even take a hit in the gas tank, and then all they can do is wait for the flames to engulf them and their cargo.

April suddenly remembers her grandmother’s dying moments, and smiles softly.

Gramma, I might meet the same fate as you. But her heart is surprisingly peaceful, calm, and the terror is fading away.

“I want to ask you something.”

Deuter, with his hand pressed on his shoulder and slumped into his seat, looks up at April’s question,

“Just tell me a bit more about the inner workings, what happened to you guys afterwards? How does everyone operate?”

“We split up and infiltrated different organizations and places, like a salon where academicians gather or the financial world, the educational field, of course there are our comrades in the army divisions too. Normally everyone just lives with the same mask, but if something happens that only we can solve, then we won’t hesitate to take action. And the best candidate to stop the military from misusing the ‘Mirrror’s Depth’ is me. Colonel Hughes is someone created in the files by our comrades hidden in the higher ranks so someone like me can operate easier. As long as I say I’m doing something for the colonel, I can bluff my way past most soldiers, but I have no way of contacting him, because there’s no such person, he simply doesn’t exist.”

“You say he’s a fictional character?”

“That’s right, so no matter how long we wait, there won’t be reinforcements. Even if my comrades know I’m in danger, they can’t help me, because we can’t let one person’s failure pull down anyone else. Although this is very cruel, but they can only stand by and watch. That’s how why we made it to this point.”

“Unbelievable!”

Deuter’s gaze is saying ‘why are you still saying things like that at a time like this’ as he looks at the driver’s side profile. She hits the gas with all she has, and after releasing it for a while, she continues hitting it.

“So that means your heart isn’t with the Nazis? You won’t salute the Nazis with one hand?”

“That’s right… And that’s why, dead or alive, I’ll always be alone.”

April, in the middle of driving, moves her gaze away from the road for a moment, looking at the depressed Richard as she says,

“Don’t you still have me?”

Richard wipes away his cold sweat with his fist, his face blooming into a rare, cheerful smile.

By now he has no more energy to bother with his dislocated arm, putting all he has into suppressing the urge to laugh.

“Then I’m no different from being al… Watch out!”

Their car is suddenly rammed into, turns out the black Benz was ramming into them from behind.

“Looks like they’ve stopped Operation Shoot Us into a Beehive, now it’s highly likely they’ll want to destroy us together with the car.”

Finally getting his laugher under control, Deuter continues muttering in a stiff voice,

“Graves, carefully slow down.”

“Why? Shouldn’t we put the pedal to the metal and get rid of them?”

“Don’t ask so much, just slow down! And when you get the right chance, jump out, you can do something as trivial as that, right? I’ll take care of the clean-up.”

Because he pulls something rather dangerous out of his jacket, April hurriedly speeds up even more.

“Wait, wait, what do you mean by that? You can’t even drive by yourself and you say you want to take care of cleaning up, don’t tell me you want to blow yourself up with bombs!?”

“I haven’t considered something so final yet, it’s just that I can’t let the Box we worked so hard to get back return to their hands so easily…”

“Have you forgotten? Richard, that Box is mine, y’know!”

Grandmother’s tone may be graceful but it’s also stern, and has a sense of authority that does not allow talking back to. Now, April prays that she’s inherited Grandmother’s way of speaking, and says determinedly,

“I forbid you from blowing it up of your own accord!”

“Even if you say so…”

Just then, there’s the sound of something slicing past the air, making both of them fall silent in unison.

Three propellers of different sizes each turn at their own pace. They realize that the sound is chasing up to them from behind, and naturally speed up the little lorry some more.

“Graves, behind us! Watch out behind us! Ah, it’s better if you don’t turn around! I take back what I just said, put the pedal to the metal! Otherwise we’ll be flattened by that plane!”

“Flattened… Could it be DT?”

The reinforcements are descending from the sky.

“It’s the reinforcements, Richard! Those are my reinforcements!”

Accompanied by the whirring of blades, the silver plane, flying at super low altitudes, is getting ready to slide into this one way road, and is throwing things at the black Benz and jeep from above. The things fly at the car top with a ‘thunk’, and just like that the car is squashed.

“April—We’re landing, you guys stay away a little!”

Normally in situations like this you can’t hear the people on the plane talking, but April thought she could hear it very clearly.

“Hey, why are you going straight into the vineyard!”

She ignores her passenger’s protest, daringly slicing her steering wheel towards the vineyard. The silver cargo plane flies past the lorry, gliding long, and finally stops. As for the soldiers afraid of an explosion, they scuttle away from the destroyed Benz and Jeep.

And then, the little lorry ignores the soldiers behind and returns to the road, rushing towards the plane in front. Right now April really wants to meet up with her friends.

DT has one foot on the cargo plane’s boarding ladder, waving his hand as he says,

“Hi, April! Did it go smoothly?”

“DT!”

This time even the tears flowed.

Although it was only two days since they met, she really missed his innocent smile and cheerful voice.

“What was that, DT! You just missed one train, what took you so long?”

“Aiya~ Sorry, sorry. Because dealing took a little time, but I found a really good cargo plane--!”

The Asian knocks the silver plane body twice, and holds out his palm at the wide-open cabin door.

“If there’s anything you want delivered, please use DT Air Carriers! Even if it’s just a Box, we’ll send it to your destination on time!”

“You’re way too exaggerated, it’s just an old wooden box, there’s no need to use a bulk carrier plane like this, right?”

Just then, Regent runs out of the plane.

“Hurry, April! Eh? Is that gentleman all right?”

Deuter presses on his helplessly dangling left arm, muttering.

“…Seems like this year’s red wine, can only… be reported as ‘no harvest’…”

The cargo plane’s wings fly horizontally past the vineyard, as though harvesting the Spatburgunder (T/N: A type of grape) that has yet to bear fruit.

Maru-MA

2015-03-04T15:26:06Z

Alaxxis Sade: /* Updates */

{{Status|Active}}

[[Image:KKM1Cover.jpg|300px|thumb|Kyou Kara MA no Tsuku Jiyuugyou! - First novel Cover]]
[[Image:CoverKyouKaraMaouTanjouHen01.jpg|300px|thumb|Kyou Kara Maou! Maou Tanjou Hen - First recopilatory novel Cover]]
[[Image:442400.jpg|300px|thumb|Characters: Yuuri, Wolfram and Conrart]]
[[Image:442403.jpg|300px|thumb|Characters: Murata, Gwendal and Günter]]
[[Image:Dvddainisho16av3.jpg|300px|thumb|Characters: Yuuri, Günter, Wolfram, Conrart, Gwendal, Murata and Josak]]
<br /><br />
'''''Maru-MA''''' also known as The MA Series (㋮シリーズ) is a light novel series written by [[:Category:Tomo Takabayashi|Takabayashi Tomo]] and illustrated by Matsumoto Temari. The common name or community name of the series in english and spanish is Kyou Kara Maou. It's published by Kadokawa Shoten since 2000. There are currently 22 novels released. Between 2004-2009 was the series adapted into anime. The 117 episodes aired as ''Kyō kara Maō!'' (jp. 今日からマ王!) in Japan on NHK BS-2. There were two of three seasons released in english under the names Kyou Kara Maoh! and God(?), Save Our King! <br /><br />

<big>'''Story Synopsis'''</big><br /><br />
Yuri Shibuya was living a pretty normal life. That changed the day he was dunked into a toilet after an attempt to save a classmate from a gang of bullies. Instead of just getting a good soaking, he's pulled in. The next thing he knows, he's in a world that vaguely resembles medieval Europe. If that's not odd enough, he's told that he is to be the next Maoh,( Demon King ) just because he has black hair and black eyes. The Maoh is the King of the Mazoku ( Demon tribe ), who are coexisting not-so-peacefully with the humans in this world. Much to his subject's dismay, he's totally different from the rulers they're accustomed to. He's kind, considerate, a believer in justice, and not willing to use violence to solve conflicts. Not exactly someone they want running a country on the very brink of war. Now, Yuri has to deal with trying to become a good Maoh, while at the same time attempting to adapt to this land's customs and culture, all in a world where the tension between the humans and Mazoku is reaching its peak.
<br /><br />

== Translation ==

==== [[MA Series:Registration Page|Registration Page]] ====

Translators are asked to '''[[MA Series:Registration Page|register]]''' for chapters they want to work on. Please add status and date at a side of your nickname, or the word '''Completed''' when you finish a chapter.

===Format Standards===
Every Chapter (after editing) must conform to the general format guidelines.
*[[Format_guideline|General Format/Style Guideline]]
*[[MA Series:Names and Terminology Guideline|Project specific Guidelines: Names and Terminology]]

== Updates ==
*'''4 March 2015''' - Short Story 1 Chapter 5
*'''27 February 2015''' - Short Story 1 Chapter 3 and 4
*'''26 Febreuary 2015''' - Drama CDsː 13, 14, 16, 17, 19, 20, 22 and 23 (and audios)
*'''25 Febreuary 2015''' - Drama CDs: 1, 2, 3(only scans), 6(only scans), 7(track1-2), 8, 9, 10, 11 and 12 (and audios)
*'''19 Febreuary 2015''' - Short Stories Volume 3 - Chapter 1 part 2 added (external link)
*'''12 February 2015''' - Short Story 1 Chapter 2
*'''5 February 2015''' - Short Story 1 Prologue and Chapter 1
*'''30 January 2015''' - Volume 10 Short Story
*'''22 January 2015''' - Volume 10 Chapter 4~7
*'''13 January 2015''' - Volume 10 Chapter 1~3
*'''9 January 2015''' - Volume 9 completed
*'''23 December 2014''' - Volume 9 Chapter 6
*'''21 December 2014''' - Updated prologues for Volumes 11, 15 and 17.
*'''15 December 2014''' - Volume 9 Chapter 5
*'''12 December 2014''' - Volume 9 Chapter 4
*'''12 December 2014''' - Volume 9 Chapter 3
*'''2 October 2013''' - Apollo 00 by [http://otonashi-diva.livejournal.com/ Otonashi_diva]
*'''21 September 2013''' - Titles's translation by [http://otonashi-diva.livejournal.com/ Otonashi_diva]
*'''21 September 2013''' - Volume 4 Full Text by [http://otonashi-diva.livejournal.com/ Otonashi_diva]
*'''22 January 2012''' - Volume 1, Full Text uploaded.
*'''21 January 2012''' - Volume 8, Prologue + Chapter 1 + Chapter 2 added.
* '''21 January 2012''' - Novel 3 Full text uploaded.
* '''18 January 2012''' - Teaser Project started!

== Staff ==
Project Manager: [[user:RedGlassesGirl|RedGlassesGirl]]

=== Translators ===
'''ACTIVE'''
:*[[user:Alaxxis Sade|Alaxxis Sade]]
:*[[user:Tasear|Tasear]] [https://tasear.wordpress.com/ (Blog)]
:*[[user:Rinetto chan|Rinetto chan]]
:*[[user:Tati-ai|Tati-ai]]
:*Neko (Drama CDs)

'''INACTIVE'''
:*Emeryl ([http://www.sakuracities.com/yaoigames/kkmnovel1.php Onadoru Euphoria])
:*[http://kannnichtfranz.livejournal.com/ kannnichtfranz]
:*Dannita
:*[[user:Stellarroze|stellarroze]]
:*[[user:ClavelSangrante|ClavelSangrante]]

=== Editors ===

:*[[user:Kira0802|Kira0802]]
:*[[user:Tasear|Tasear]]
:*[[user:TerryBoom|TerryBoom]]
:*[[user:RedGlassesGirl|RedGlassesGirl]]

== MA Series ==

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==='''Volume 1 - Starting Today I'm in Ma!Freelance Work!!'''===
*[[MaruMA:Volume 01|FULL TEXT]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume01:Illustrations|Novel Illustrations]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume01:Character_Introduction|Character Introduction]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume01:Prologue|Prologue]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume01:Chapter_1|Chapter 1]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume01:Chapter_2|Chapter 2]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume01:Chapter_3|Chapter 3]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume01:Chapter_4|Chapter 4]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume01:Chapter_5|Chapter 5]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume01:Chapter_6|Chapter 6]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume01:Chapter_7|Chapter 7]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume01:Chapter_8|Chapter 8]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume01:Chapter_9|Chapter 9]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume01:Chapter_10|Chapter 10]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume01:Afterword|Afterword]]
</div>
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==='''Volume 2 - This Time it's the Ultimate Ma!Weapon!'''===
*[[MaruMA:Volume02:Illustrations | Novel Illustrations]]
*[http://www.asphodelshaven.com/translations/view/novel/kkm_02/all#cutid1 (Full Text) by AsphodelsHaven]
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==='''Volume 3 - Tonight is the Great Ma!Escape!!!'''===
*[[MaruMA:Volume 03|FULL TEXT]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume03:Illustrations|Novel Illustrations]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume03:Prologue|Prologue]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume03:Chapter_1|Chapter 1]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume03:Chapter_2|Chapter 2]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume03:Chapter_3|Chapter 3]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume03:Chapter_4|Chapter 4]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume03:Chapter_5|Chapter 5]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume03:Chapter_6|Chapter 6]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume03:Chapter_7|Chapter 7]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume03:Chapter_8|Chapter 8]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume03:Chapter_9|Chapter 9]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume03:Chapter_10|Chapter 10]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume03:Chapter_11|Chapter 11]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume03:Chapter_12|Chapter 12]]
</div>
</div>
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==='''Volume 4 - Tomorrow a Ma!Wind Will Blow!'''===
*[[MaruMA:Volume04:Illustrations | Novel Illustrations]]
*[http://otonashi-diva.livejournal.com/2718.html Prologue and Chapter 1 by Otonashi_diva]
*[http://otonashi-diva.livejournal.com/3045.html Chapter 2 by Otonashi-diva]
*[http://otonashi-diva.livejournal.com/3077.html Chapter 3 by Otonashi_diva]
*[http://otonashi-diva.livejournal.com/3576.html Chapter 4 by Otonashi_diva]
*[http://otonashi-diva.livejournal.com/3676.html Chapter 5 by Otonashi_diva]
*[http://otonashi-diva.livejournal.com/4031.html Chapter 6 by Otonashi_diva]
*[http://otonashi-diva.livejournal.com/4301.html Chapter 7 by Otonashi_diva]
*[http://otonashi-diva.livejournal.com/4481.html Chapter 8 by Otonashi_diva]
*[http://otonashi-diva.livejournal.com/4790.html Chapter 9 by Otonashi_diva]
*[http://otonashi-diva.livejournal.com/5055.html Chapter 10 by Otonashi_diva]
</div>
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==='''Short Stories Volume 1 - His Excellency and the Tosa Ma!Diary!?'''===
*[[MaruMA:Gaiden01:Illustrations|Novel Illustrations]]
*[http://otonashi-diva.livejournal.com/8339.html Prologue by otonashi-diva]
*[http://otonashi-diva.livejournal.com/8807.html The Taming of the Bear - Day 1 by otonashi-diva]
*[http://otonashi-diva.livejournal.com/9053.html The Taming of the Bear - Day 2 by otonashi-diva]
*[http://otonashi-diva.livejournal.com/9642.html The Taming of the Bear - Day 3 by otonashi-diva]
*[http://otonashi-diva.livejournal.com/10744.html Romero & Argent Part 1 by otonashi-diva]
*[http://otonashi-diva.livejournal.com/10865.html Romero & Argent Part 2 by otonashi-diva]
*[http://otonashi-diva.livejournal.com/11259.html All's Well That Ends Well Part 1 by otonashi-diva]
*[http://otonashi-diva.livejournal.com/11299.html All's Well That Ends Well Part 2 by otonashi-diva]
*[http://otonashi-diva.livejournal.com/11550.html Epilogue]
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==='''Volume 5 - The Ma!Sun Will Definitely Rise!'''===
*[[MaruMA:Volume05:Illustrations|Novel Illustrations]]
*[http://kannnichtfranz.livejournal.com/232017.html Prologue & Chapter 1 by kannnichtfranz]
*[http://kannnichtfranz.livejournal.com/232318.html Chapter 2 by kannnichtfranz]
*[http://kannnichtfranz.livejournal.com/232722.html Chapter 3 by kannnichtfranz]
*[http://kannnichtfranz.livejournal.com/233072.html Chapter 4 by kannnichtfranz]
*[http://kannnichtfranz.livejournal.com/233459.html Chapter 5 by kannnichtfranz]
*[http://kannnichtfranz.livejournal.com/233597.html Chapter 6 by kannnichtfranz]
*[http://kannnichtfranz.livejournal.com/234109.html Chapter 7 by kannnichtfranz]
*[http://kannnichtfranz.livejournal.com/234400.html Chapter 8 by kannnichtfranz]
*[http://kannnichtfranz.livejournal.com/234650.html Chapter 9 by kannnichtfranz]
*[http://kannnichtfranz.livejournal.com/234839.html Chapter 10 by kannnichtfranz]
</div>
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==='''Volume 6 - Someday in the Ma!Twilight!'''===
*[[MaruMA:Volume06:Illustrations|Novel Illustrations]]
*[http://kannnichtfranz.livejournal.com/240669.html Prologue & Chapter 1 by kannnichtfranz]
*[http://kannnichtfranz.livejournal.com/241095.html Chapter 2 by kannnichtfranz]
*[http://kannnichtfranz.livejournal.com/241290.html Chapter 3 by kannnichtfranz]
*[http://kannnichtfranz.livejournal.com/243822.html Chapter 4 by kannnichtfranz]
*[http://kannnichtfranz.livejournal.com/244149.html Chapter 5 by kannnichtfranz]
*[http://otonashi-diva.livejournal.com/6036.html Chapter 6 by otonashi-diva]
*[http://otonashi-diva.livejournal.com/6189.html Chapter 7 by otonashi-diva]
*[http://otonashi-diva.livejournal.com/6468.html Chapter 8 by otonashi-diva]
*[http://otonashi-diva.livejournal.com/6976.html Chapter 9 by otonashi-diva]
*[http://otonashi-diva.livejournal.com/7219.html Chapter 10 by otonashi-diva]
*[http://otonashi-diva.livejournal.com/7581.html Chapter 11 by otonashi-diva]
</div>
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==='''Volume 7 - The Ma!Snow Dances in the Sky!'''===
*[https://docs.google.com/View?docid=dd9f2j4p_4dj842w&pli=1 FULL TEXT by vivarina]
*[[MaruMA:Volume07:Illustrations|Novel Illustrations]]
*[http://kyou-kara-maou.livejournal.com/1163379.html#cutid1 Chapter 1 by vivarina]
*[http://kyou-kara-maou.livejournal.com/1167043.html#cutid1 Chapter 2 by vivarina]
*[http://kyou-kara-maou.livejournal.com/1171141.html#cutid1 Chapter 3 by vivarina]
*[http://otonashi-diva.livejournal.com/8190.html Chapter 4 by otonashi-diva]]
*[http://otonashi-diva.livejournal.com/8634.html Chapter 5 by otonashi-diva]
*[http://otonashi-diva.livejournal.com/9400.html Chapter 6 by otonashi-diva]
*[http://otonashi-diva.livejournal.com/9941.html Chapter 7 by otonashi-diva]
*[http://otonashi-diva.livejournal.com/10037.html Chapter 8 by otonashi-diva]
*[http://otonashi-diva.livejournal.com/10321.html Chapter 9 by otonashi diva]
*[https://docs.google.com/document/pub?id=1VP8yzjkY0i62pwcmSUj2uHeabpelL-aQTU77CeHSsVM#cutid1 Chapter 10]
*[https://docs.google.com/document/pub?id=13bWqLhPRQ5Te5K-_7kypSVv6SSejSR_ry-5vS0XLDyA#cutid1 Chapter 11]
*[https://docs.google.com/document/pub?id=1OHeGlD5ThrgwU4AVPSQnvN-RAsUaeQxSMNPTbV789mQ#cutid1 Chapter 12]
</div>
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=== '''Volume 8 - A Ma!Star Falls to the Earth!''' ===
*[[MaruMA:Volume08:Illustrations|Novel Illustrations]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume08:Prologue|Prologue]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume08:Chapter 1|Chapter 1]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume08:Chapter 2|Chapter 2]]
*[http://otonashi-diva.livejournal.com/14476.html Chapter 3 by otonashi-diva]
*[http://otonashi-diva.livejournal.com/14610.html Chapter 4 by otonashi-diva]
*[http://otonashi-diva.livejournal.com/14899.html Chapter 5 by otonashi-diva]
*[http://otonashi-diva.livejournal.com/15244.html Chapter 6 by otonashi-diva]
*[http://otonashi-diva.livejournal.com/15403.html Chapter 7 by otonashi-diva]
*[http://otonashi-diva.livejournal.com/15696.html Chapter 8 by otonashi-diva]
*[http://otonashi-diva.livejournal.com/16166.html Chapter 9 by otonashi-diva]
*[[MaruMA:Volume08:Afterword|Afterword]]
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==='''Side Story 1 - The Facade of the Lady Is a Disguise!'''===
*[[MaruMA:SideStory01:Illustrations|Novel Illustrations]]
*[[MaruMA:SideStory01:Prologue|Prologue]]
*[[MaruMA:SideStory01:Chapter 1|Chapter 1]]
*[[MaruMA:SideStory01:Chapter 2|Chapter 2]]
*[[MaruMA:SideStory01:Chapter 3|Chapter 3]]
*[[MaruMA:SideStory01:Chapter 4|Chapter 4]]
*[[MaruMA:SideStory01:Chapter 5|Chapter 5]]
*[[MaruMA:SideStory01:Chapter 6|Chapter 6]]
*[[MaruMA:SideStory01:Chapter 7|Chapter 7]]
*[[MaruMA:SideStory01:Chapter 8|Chapter 8]]
*[[MaruMA:SideStory01:Afterword|Afterword]]
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==='''Volume 9 - Aim for the Ends of the Ma!Ocean!'''===
*[[MaruMA:Volume09:Illustrations|Novel Illustrations]]
*[http://macimoci.livejournal.com/3181.html#cutid1 Chapter 1 Part 1][http://macimoci.livejournal.com/3925.html#cutid1 Chapter 1 Part 2]
*[http://macimoci.livejournal.com/3598.html#cutid1 Chapter 2]
*[[MaruMA:Volume09:Chapter 3|Chapter 3]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume09:Chapter 4|Chapter 4]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume09:Chapter 5|Chapter 5]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume09:Chapter 6|Chapter 6]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume09:Chapter 7|Chapter 7]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume09:Chapter 8|Chapter 8]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume09:Chapter 9|Chapter 9]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume09:Chapter 10|Chapter 10]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume09:Afterword|Afterword]]
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==='''Short Stories Volume 2 - My Son is in Ma!Freelance Work!?'''===
*[[MaruMA:Gaiden02:Illustrations|Novel Illustrations]]
*[[MaruMA:Gaiden02:Chapter 1|Chapter 1]]
*[[MaruMA:Gaiden02:Chapter 2|Chapter 2]]
*[[MaruMA:Gaiden02:Chapter 3|Chapter 3]]
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=== '''Volume 10 - This is the First Ma!Step!''' ===
*[[MaruMA:Volume10:Illustrations|Novel Illustrations]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume10:Prologue|Prologue]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume10:Chapter 1|Chapter 1]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume10:Chapter 2|Chapter 2]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume10:Chapter 3|Chapter 3]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume10:Chapter 4|Chapter 4]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume10:Chapter 5|Chapter 5]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume10:Chapter 6|Chapter 6]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume10:Chapter 7|Chapter 7]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume10:Short Story|Short Story]]
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==='''Volume 11 - This Will Become a Ma!Song!'''===

*[[MaruMA:Volume11:Illustrations|Novel Illustrations]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume11:Prologue|Prologue]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume11:Chapter 1|Chapter 1]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume11:Chapter 2|Chapter 2]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume11:Chapter 3|Chapter 3]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume11:Chapter 4|Chapter 4]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume11:Chapter 5|Chapter 5]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume11:Chapter 6|Chapter 6]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume11:Chapter 7|Chapter 7]]
*[http://conradxyuuri.livejournal.com/243017.html#cutid1 Chapter 8 by pyrrhic_victoly]
*[[MaruMA:Volume11:Afterword|Afterword]]
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==='''Volume 12 - The Treasure is in the Ma!Soil!'''===

*[[MaruMA:Volume12:Illustrations|Novel Illustrations]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume12:Prologue|Prologue]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume12:Chapter 1|Chapter 1]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume12:Chapter 2|Chapter 2]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume12:Chapter 3|Chapter 3]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume12:Chapter 4|Chapter 4]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume12:Chapter 5|Chapter 5]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume12:Chapter 6|Chapter 6]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume12:Chapter 7|Chapter 7]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume12:Chapter 8|Chapter 8]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume12:Afterword|Afterword]]
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==='''Volume 13 - The Box is Ma!Bottom of the Water!'''===

*[[MaruMA:Volume13:Illustrations|Novel Illustrations]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume13:Prologue|Prologue]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume13:Chapter 1|Chapter 1]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume13:Chapter 2|Chapter 2]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume13:Chapter 3|Chapter 3]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume13:Chapter 4|Chapter 4]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume13:Chapter 5|Chapter 5]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume13:Chapter_6|Chapter 6]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume13:Chapter 7|Chapter 7]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume13:Chapter 8|Chapter 8]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume13:Who's the Demon King's future Queen?...! |Who's the Majesty's Maou's future Mate?...!]] [[http://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/50465121/Novela%2013%20-%20capitulo%20especial.pdf Spanish]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume13:Afterword|Afterword]]
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==='''Short Stories Volume 3 - Starting Today I'm the Ma!King!?'''===

*[[MaruMA:Gaiden03:Illustrations|Novel Illustrations]]
*[https://docs.google.com/document/pub?id=1iN9rRhN5s2dbrwwgtkiTx2cjSKsvBu5_NVyYkCtBa0Y#cutid1 Chapter 1 Part 1] by pyrrhic_victoly
*[https://docs.google.com/a/globant.com/document/d/19n2oh6y2nbHtbuTMycWe_5Tub0_jW5wyp-0923tx-yE/pub Chapter 1 Part 2] by pyrrhic_victoly
*[https://docs.google.com/document/pub?id=1e04HAwN8hIGJ-lfDSP2UOpBLYCtZ1cJgN5yGQJ4XgOY#cutid1 Chapter 2] by pyrrhic_victoly
*[https://docs.google.com/document/pub?id=17--kwAQsiExEC4l6efpTVmi2QJix-0HvsTcCO5SYAAs#cutid1 Chapter 3] by pyrrhic_victoly
*[https://docs.google.com/document/pub?id=1NrZt198gxSyAMVTb144BWoYhbroFPcdkzPX0vIAB5Qk#cutid1 Chapter 4] by pyrrhic_victoly
*[https://docs.google.com/document/pub?id=1DD5pV5jTbUgubq7jBdmBt5bopY4CF6jPaG__x9W-ppU#cutid1 Chapter 5] by pyrrhic_victoly
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==='''Volume 14 - The Sand is at the End of the Ma!Road!'''===
*[[MaruMA:Volume14:Illustrations|Novel Illustrations]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume14:Prologue|Prologue]]
*[http://kyou-kara-maou.livejournal.com/1682136.html#cutid1 Chapter 1]
*[http://kyou-kara-maou.livejournal.com/1689137.html#cutid1#cutid1 Chapter 2]
*[http://kyou-kara-maou.livejournal.com/1714134.html#cutid1 Chapter 3 Part 1][http://kyou-kara-maou.livejournal.com/1715453.html#cutid1 Chapter 3 Part 2]
*[[MaruMA:Volume14:Chapter 4|Chapter 4]]
*[http://kyou-kara-maou.livejournal.com/1750461.html#cutid1 Chapter 5]
*[http://kyou-kara-maou.livejournal.com/1752526.html#cutid1 Chapter 6]
*[http://kyou-kara-maou.livejournal.com/1754671.html#cutid1 Chapter 7]
*[[MaruMA:Volume14:Chapter 8|Chapter 8]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume14:Short Story|Short Story]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume14:Afterword|Afterword]]
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==='''Volume 15 - Set Ma!Sail for Home!'''===
*[[MaruMA:Volume15:Illustrations|Novel Illustrations]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume15:Prologue|Prologue]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume15:Chapter 1|Chapter 1]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume15:Chapter 2|Chapter 2]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume15:Chapter 3|Chapter 3]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume15:Chapter 4|Chapter 4]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume15:Chapter 5|Chapter 5]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume15:Chapter 6|Chapter 6]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume15:Chapter 7|Chapter 7]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume15:Chapter 8|Chapter 8]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume15:Afterword|Afterword]]
</div>
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==='''Short Stories Volume 4 - From the Ma!Kingdom, With Love'''===
*[[MaruMA:Gaiden04:Illustrations|Novel Illustrations]]
*[[MaruMA:Gaiden04:Chapter_1|Chapter 1]]
*[[MaruMA:Gaiden04:Chapter 2|Chapter 2]]
*[http://conradxyuuri.livejournal.com/262544.html#t1975440 Chapter 3 by macimoci]
*[[MaruMA:Gaiden04:Chapter 4|Chapter 4]]
*[[MaruMA:Gaiden04:Chapter 5|Chapter 5]]
*[[MaruMA:Gaiden04:Chapter 6|Chapter 6]]
*[[MaruMA:Gaiden04:Chapter 7|Chapter 7]]
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==='''Volume 16 - Before Us is the Ma!Prison!'''===
*[[MaruMA:Volume16:Illustrations|Novel Illustrations]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume16:Prologue|Prologue]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume16:Chapter 1|Chapter 1]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume16:Chapter 2|Chapter 2]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume16:Chapter 3|Chapter 3]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume16:Chapter 4|Chapter 4]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume16:Chapter 5|Chapter 5]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume16:Chapter 6|Chapter 6]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume16:Chapter 7|Chapter 7]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume16:Chapter 8|Chapter 8]]
</div>
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==='''Volume 17 - Behind Us is the Stone Ma!Wall!'''===
Behind the Stone Walls
*[[MaruMA:Volume17:Illustrations|Novel Illustrations]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume17:Prologue|Prologue]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume17:Chapter 1|Chapter 1]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume17:Chapter 2|Chapter 2]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume17:Chapter 3|Chapter 3]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume17:Chapter 4|Chapter 4]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume17:Chapter 5|Chapter 5]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume17:Chapter 6|Chapter 6]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume17:Chapter 7|Chapter 7]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume17:Chapter 8|Chapter 8]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume17:Chapter 9|Chapter 9]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume17:Chapter 10|Chapter 10]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume17:Chapter 11|Chapter 11]]
</div>
</div>
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="width: 750px; height: 350px; float: left;"
|-
|-
| style="width:180px;" | <br>
<div style="float: left;">
| valign="top" |
<div style="margin: 10px; margin-top: -5px;">
=== '''Volume 18 - The Ma!Light Burns in the Darkness!''' ===
*Not published.
</div>
</div>
|}

<br style="clear:both"/>

==Extras & Specials==

{| class="wikitable" style="width: 750px; height: 350px; float: left;"
|-
|-
| style="width:180px;" | [[Image:KKMReco01.jpg|250px|center]] <br>
<div style="float: left;">
| valign="top" |
<div style="margin: 10px; margin-top: -5px;">

==='''Kyou Kara Maou! Maou Tanjou Hen'''===
*[http://otonashi-diva.livejournal.com/12090.html But My Heart Will Probably Beat Excitedly]
</div>
</div>
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="width: 750px; height: 350px; float: left;"
|-
|-
| style="width:180px;" | [[Image:KKMReco02.jpg|250px|center]] <br>
<div style="float: left;">
| valign="top" |
<div style="margin: 10px; margin-top: -5px;">

=== '''Kyou Kara Maou! Maou Houkou Hen''' ===
*[http://otonashi-diva.livejournal.com/11907.html Together with Father]
</div>
</div>
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="width: 750px; height: 350px; float: left;"
|-
|-
| style="width:180px;" | [[Image:120047667.jpg|250px|center]] <br>
<div style="float: left;">
| valign="top" |
<div style="margin: 10px; margin-top: -5px;">
=== '''Special "ドキッ☆男だらけの深夜便"'''===

*[[MaruMA:VolumeAnissinaSpecial_Illustrations|Novel Illustrations]]
*[http://otonashi-diva.livejournal.com/12681.html 世界の国から毒女 Part 1]
*[http://otonashi-diva.livejournal.com/12996.html 世界の国から毒女 Part 2]
*CD Drama "Ｄの世界"
</div>
</div>
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="width: 750px; height: 350px; float: left;"
|-
|-
| style="width:180px;" | [[Image:MAhon.jpg|250px|center]] <br>
<div style="float: left;">
| valign="top" |
<div style="margin: 10px; margin-top: -5px;">

=== '''MA-Hon'''===
*[http://otonashi-diva.livejournal.com/13095.html Getting to Know The Great Demon Kingdom by Walking Through a Ma!Town]
*[http://otonashi-diva.livejournal.com/13527.html Interview]
*[http://otonashi-diva.livejournal.com/13590.html Special Short Story: Replay (SSS Re:) 1-6]
*[http://otonashi-diva.livejournal.com/14063.html Special Short Story: Replay (SSS Re:) 7-13]
*[http://otonashi-diva.livejournal.com/14186.html Special Short Story: Replay (SSS Re:) 14-End]
</div>
</div>
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="width: 750px; height: 350px; float: left;"
|-
|-
| style="width:180px;" | [[Image:Tumblr_ng8rw2f3821tgy9eeo2_250.png|250px|center]] <br>
<div style="float: left;">
| valign="top" |
<div style="margin: 10px; margin-top: -5px;">

=== '''Apollo 00'''===
*[[MaruMA:Apollo00:Illustrations|Novel Illustrations]]
*[http://otonashi-diva.livejournal.com/7751.html Apollo 00] by Otonashi_diva
</div>
</div>
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="width: 750px; height: 350px; float: left;"
|-
|-
| style="width:180px;" | [[Image:Tumblr_ng8rw2f3821tgy9eeo1_250.png|250px|center]] <br>
<div style="float: left;">
| valign="top" |
<div style="margin: 10px; margin-top: -5px;">
=== '''Apollo 01'''===
[[MaruMA:Apollo01:Illustrations|Novel Illustrations]]
*[http://otonashi-diva.livejournal.com/12493.html Alice by otonashi-diva]
</div>
</div>
|}

<br style="clear:both"/>

==Drama CDs==
'''1. Merry Christmas in Shin-Makoku'''
*[[MaruMA:DramaCD1:Scans|Scans]]
*[[MaruMA:DramaCD1:Track1|Single track]]
<br/>
'''2. The second and third son's secret talk'''
*[[MaruMA:DramaCD2:Track1|Single track]]
<br/>
'''3. Starting Today I'm in Ma!Freelance Work!! (Drama CD)'''<br/>
*[[MaruMA:DramaCD3:Scans|Scans]]
<br/>
'''4. The Maou, the second and third sons, a common landscape. '''
*[[MaruMA:DramaCD4:Track1|Single track]]
<br/>
'''5. Let's SHOW the dreams!'''
*[[MaruMA:DramaCD5:Scans|Scans]]
*[[MaruMA:DramaCD5:Track1|Single track]]
<br/>
'''6. The other side of "This Time it's the Ultimate Ma!Weapon!"'''
*[[MaruMA:DramaCD6:Scans|Scans]]
<br/>
'''7. The other side of "Tonight is the Great Ma!Escape!!!"'''
*[[MaruMA:DramaCD7:Track1|Track 1: Prologue (3:12)]]
*[[MaruMA:DramaCD7:Track2|Track 2: The aquarium too has many risks (5:36)]]
*[[MaruMA:DramaCD7:Track3|Track 3ː A long way in the hot desert　(3:43)]]
*[[MaruMA:DramaCD7:Track4|Track 4ː The happy Sandbear Family (12:45)]]
*[[MaruMA:DramaCD7:Track5|Track 5ː Camping out in the desert　(7:41)]]
*[[MaruMA:DramaCD7:Track6|Track 6ː In the hole of the giant Sandbear　(2:50)]]
*[[MaruMA:DramaCD7:Track7|Track 7ː Meanwhile in Shin Makoku (7:34)]]
*[[MaruMA:DramaCD7:Track8|Track 8ː A crazy delusion (5:47)]]
*[[MaruMA:DramaCD7:Track9|Track 9ː In the middle of the mines, a monster screams in the name of love (5:31)]]
*[[MaruMA:DramaCD7:Track10|Track 10ː I want to go home, but I can't　(5:31)]]
*[[MaruMA:DramaCD7:Track11|Track 11ː Epilogue (1:52)]]
<br/>
'''8. MuraKensu Double Plus'''
*[[MaruMA:DramaCD8:Track1|Single track]]
<br/>
'''09.The other side of Tomorrow a Ma!Wind Will Blow!'''
*[[MaruMA:DramaCD9:Track1|Track 1: Prologue (5:17)]]
*[[MaruMA:DramaCD9:Track2|Track 2: Bad morning goal (6:59)]]
*[[MaruMA:DramaCD9:Track3|Track 3: Let's GO on a boat trip！(8:18)]]
*[[MaruMA:DramaCD9:Track4|Track 4: Meanwhile in Shin Makoku (8:15)]]
*[[MaruMA:DramaCD9:Track5|Track 5: Doki-Doki - Town of the Steamy hot springs (6:20)]]
*[[MaruMA:DramaCD9:Track6|Track 6: The life of a monk covered in earthly desires (8:01) ]]
*[[MaruMA:DramaCD9:Track7|Track 7: The play of Hell Paradise (7:20)]]
*[[MaruMA:DramaCD9:Track8|Track 8: Home & Home (6:49)]]
*[[MaruMA:DramaCD9:Track9|Track 9: If I could go back, after going back (3:38)]]
*[[MaruMA:DramaCD9:Track10|Track 10: Mini-drama: The Pains of His Excellency Gwendal (7:40)]]
*[[MaruMA:DramaCD9:Track11|Track 11: Epilogue (3:13)]]
<br/>
'''10.The Demon King Room Visits - Conrad's part '''
*[[MaruMA:DramaCD10:Track1|Single track]]
<br/>
'''11. The Demon King Room Visits - Murata's part'''
*[[MaruMA:DramaCD11:Track1|Single track]]
<br/>
'''12. The Demon King Room Visits - Cherie and Anissina's part'''
*[[MaruMA:DramaCD12:Track1|Single track]]
<br/>
'''13. The Demon King Room Visits - Günter's part'''
*[[MaruMA:DramaCD13:Track1|Single track]]
<br/>
'''14. The Demon King Room Visits- Gwendal's part'''
*[[MaruMA:DramaCD14:Track1|Single track]]
<br/>
'''15. The Demon King Room Visits - Wolfram and Greta's part'''
<br/><br/>
'''16. Oresama Quest- Special Drama CD'''<br/>
*Track 1: Mini-drama: Washed to another world route
*[[MaruMA:DramaCD16:Track2|Track 2: Mini-drama: Maou solves the case of the missing item]]
*[[MaruMA:DramaCD16:Track3|Track 3: Mini-drama: The Mid-summer Ma dream]]
<br/>
'''17. Shin Makoku's Battle Game'''
*[[MaruMA:DramaCD17:Track1|Track 1: Title (0:08) | Track 2: The meeting to make a Game in Shin Makoku (11:24)]]
*[[MaruMA:DramaCD17:Track3|Track 3: Middle-Boss Fight 1 （8:12）]]
*[[MaruMA:DramaCD17:Track4|Track 4: Middle-Boss fight 2（8:04）]]
*[[MaruMA:DramaCD17:Track5|Track 5: Last Boss （8:43）]]
*[[MaruMA:DramaCD17:Track6|Track 6: Game Clear Ending（3:52）]]
*[[MaruMA:DramaCD17:Track7|Track 7: MuraKenzu（3:57）]]
<br/>
'''18. Kyou Kara Maou- Hajimari no Tabi- Perfect Fan Book Drama CD'''

<br/><br/>
'''19. A great day with a wonderful Ma-friend- Conrad & Günter'''
*[[MaruMA:DramaCD19:Track1|Single track]]
<br/>
'''20. A great day with a wonderful Ma-friend - Conrad & Josak'''
*[[MaruMA:DramaCD20:Track1|Single track]]
<br/>
'''21. A great day with a wonderful Ma-friend - Yuuri and Wolfram'''
<br/><br/>
'''22.A great day with a wonderful Ma-friend - Conrad & Yuuri'''
*[[MaruMA:DramaCD22:Track1|Single track]]
<br/>
'''23.A great day with a wonderful Ma-friend - Yuuri & Murata'''
*[[MaruMA:DramaCD23:Track1|Single track]]
<br/>
'''24. The Love Diary of His Excellency and the King!? '''
*[[MaruMA:DramaCD24:Track1|Track 1: Prologue （6:20）]]
*[[MaruMA:DramaCD24:Track2|Track 2: Meeting with the Editor 1 （8:02）]]
*[[MaruMA:DramaCD24:Track3|Track 3: Romero and Argent （15:45）]]
*[[MaruMA:DramaCD24:Track4|Track 4: Meeting with the Editor 2 （2:54）]]
*[[MaruMA:DramaCD24:Track5|Track 5: Dream Theatre （19:21）]]
*[[MaruMA:DramaCD24:Track6|Track 6: Meeting with the Editor 3 （4:26）]]
*[[MaruMA:DramaCD24:Track7|Track 7: Signings （3:42）]]
*[[MaruMA:DramaCD24:Track8|Track 8: A night alone （4:04）]]
*[[MaruMA:DramaCD24:Track9|Track 9: Epilogue （5:07）]]
<br/>
'''25. The other MA side Deluxe!'''
*[[MaruMA:DramaCD25:Scans|Scans]]
<br/>
'''26. The Mazoku's Casual Trip to Earth - Yuuri and Wolfram'''
<br/><br/>
'''27. The Mazoku's Casual Trip to Earth - Conrad and Shouri'''
<br/><br/>
'''28. The Mazoku's Casual Trip to Earth - Yuuri and Shouri'''
<br/><br/>
'''29. The Mazoku's Casual Trip to Earth - Gunter, Yuuri and Murata'''
<br/><br/>
'''30. The Mazoku's Casual Trip to Earth - Wolf, Con & Gwen'''
<br/><br/>
'''31. Project B'''
*[[MaruMA:DramaCD31:Scans|Scans]]
*[[MaruMA:DramaCD31:Track1|Single track]]
*[[MaruMA:DramaCD31:Track2|Cast talk]
<br/>
'''32. Maou Birth™Special '''
*[[MaruMA:DramaCD32:Track1|Track 1: Prologue (7ː34)]]
*[[MaruMA:DramaCD32:Track2|Track 2: Meanwhile in Shin Makoku (2ː47)]]
*[[MaruMA:DramaCD32:Track3|Track 3: Take a peek Surprise (9ː25)]]
*[[MaruMA:DramaCD32:Track4|Track 4: The secret talk of a group of "grown ups" (8ː48)]]
*[[MaruMA:DramaCD32:Track5|Track 5: Everyone's Birthday (11ː03)]]
*[[MaruMA:DramaCD32:Track6|Track 6: Happy Birthday (16ː45)]]
*[[MaruMA:DramaCD32:Track7|Track 7: Epilogue(8ː26)]]
<br/>
'''33. Kyou Kara Maou- Hajimari no Tabi Band- Original CD Drama'''
<br/><br/>
'''34. From now on I'm a Heroine?! Aiming for the Koshien* sky! The day off of Murakensu.'''
<br/><br/>
'''35. Maou! Regal Birth CD'''
<br/><br/>
'''36. Ura Ma R! -Yuuri, Shouri and Conrad'''
<br/><br/>
'''37. Ura Ma R! - Saralegi, Berias and Yozak'''
<br/><br/>
'''38. Ura Ma R!- Shinou and Murata'''
<br/><br/>
'''39. Ura Ma R! Gwendal, Wolfram and Yozak'''
<br/><br/>
'''40. Ura Ma R! Yuuri, Saralegi,and Gunter'''
<br/><br/>
'''41.Kyou Kara Maou- A Day Off in Shin Makoku- Perfect Fan Book Original Drama CD'''
<br/><br/>
'''42.Kyou Kara Maou! A Day off in Shin Makoku-Limited Box -Shop Original Drama CD'''
<br/><br/>
'''43. Secret'''
*Track 1 Secret- Present
*Track 2 Secret- Past
*Track 3 Secret - And now, the present
<br/>
'''44. Maou! Harvest Festival CD'''
<br/><br/>
'''45. These are the MA Holidays!‏'''
<br/><br/>
'''46. This is the MA Grand Finale!'''
<br/><br/>
'''47. Ura Ma3 - Yuuri Conrad and Waltorana'''
*[[MaruMA:DramaCD47:Track1|Single track]]
<br/>
'''48. Ura Ma3 - Yuuri, Wolfram and Waltorana'''
*[[MaruMA:DramaCD48:Track1|Single track]]
<br/>
'''49. Ura Ma3 - Yuuri, Conrad and Greta'''
<br/><br/>
'''50. Ura Ma3 - Yuuri, Murata and Josak'''
<br/><br/>
'''51. Ura Ma3 - Gwendal, Yozak, Densham (von Karbelnikoff)'''
<br/><br/>
'''52. Ura Ma3 - Shouri Wolfram and Murata'''
<br/><br/>
'''53. Ura Ma3 - Yuuri, Conrad and Del Kierson (von Wincott)'''
<br/><br/>
'''54. Ura Ma3 - Gwendal, Wolfram and Saralegi'''
<br/><br/>
'''55. Kyou Kara MAou! Seisakoku DX! Outward Journey'''
<br/><br/>
'''56. Kyou Kara MAou! Seisakoku DX! Return Trip'''
<br/><br/>
'''57. The Maou, the second and third sons' unsupervised talk'''
<br/><br/>
'''58. The camping trip will be fine'''
<br/><br/>
'''59. This is the MA undesirable but, inseparable relationship?! '''( Announced but never released)
<br/><br/>
'''60.Ura Ma3 - Gunter, Del Kierson, and Densham'''
<br/><br/>
'''61.Ura Ma3 - Yuuri, Shouri and Conrad'''
<br/><br/>
'''62.Ura Ma3 - Conrad, Wolfram, and Murata'''
<br/><br/>
'''63.Ura Ma3 - Conrad, Gwendal and Saralegi'''
<br/><br/>
'''64.Ura Ma3 - Yuuri, Shouri, and Wolfram'''
<br/><br/>
'''65.Ura Ma3 - Shinou, Murata, and Janus'''
<br/><br/>
'''66. Maou in Wonderland'''
*[[MaruMA:DramaCD66:Track1|Single track]]
<br/>
'''67. Maou behind the Mirror'''
<br/><br/>
'''68. The D World'''
<br/><br/>
'''69. Lord Weller's Night-Night'''
<br/><br/>
'''70. Maou Heika and his Fiance's "Sleep Tight"'''
*[[MaruMA:DramaCD70:Scans|Scans]]
*[[MaruMA:DramaCD70:Track1|Single track]]
*[[MaruMA:DramaCD70:Track2|Cast talk]]
<br/>
'''71. Maou Heika and the person who named him "I can't sleep tonight".'''
<br/><br/>

==DVD Specials==
'''1. Kyou Kara Maou! Thanks to the Fans! There's Valentine's Day in Shin-Makoku too?! '''
<br/><br/>

== Series Overview ==

===Main Story===

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Novel !! Original title !! Translated title !! ISBN !! Date of publishing !! Cover
|-
| 1 || Kyou Kara MA no Tsuku Jiyuugyou!
(今日から㋮のつく自由業!)
|| Starting Today I'm in Ma!Freelance Work!! || ISBN 978-4044420017,
ISBN 978-4044452018 (re-release)
|| Noviembre 2000,
Septiembre 2001 (re-release)
|| [[Image:KKM1Cover.jpg|150px]]
|-
| 2 || Kondo wa MA no Tsuku Saishuu Heiki!
(今度は㋮のつく最終兵器!)
|| This Time it's the Ultimate Ma!Weapon! ||ISBN 978-4044420024,
ISBN 978-4044452025 (re-release)
|| Abril 2001,
Septiembre 2001 (re-release)
|| [[Image:Novel02cover.jpg|150px]]
|-
| 3 || Konya wa MA no Tsuku Daidassou!
(今夜は㋮のつく大脱走!)
|| Tonight is the Great Ma!Escape!!! || ISBN 978-4044452032 || Noviembre 2001
|| [[Image:KKM3Cover.jpg|150px]]
|-
| 4 || Ashita wa MA no Tsuku Kaze ga Fuku!
(明日は㋮のつく風が吹く!)
|| Tomorrow a Ma!Wind Will Blow! || ISBN 978-4044452049 || Febrero 2002
|| [[Image:KKM4Cover.jpg|150px]]
|}

===Caloria Arc===

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Novel !! Original title !! Translated title !! ISBN !! Date of publishing !! Cover
|-
| 5 || Kitto MA no Tsuku Hi ga Noboru!
(きっと㋮のつく陽が昇る!)
|| The Ma!Sun Will Definitely Rise! || ISBN 978-4044452063 || Septiembre 2002
|| [[Image:KKM5Cover.jpg|150px]]
|-
| 6 || Itsuka MA no Tsuku Yuugureni!
(いつか㋮のつく夕暮れに!)
|| Someday in the Ma!Twilight! || ISBN 978-4044452070 || Diciembre 2002
|| [[Image:KKM6Cover.jpg|150px]]
|-
| 7 || Ten ni MA no Tsuku Yuki ga Mau!
(天に㋮のつく雪が舞う!)
|| The Ma!Snow Dances in the Sky! || ISBN 978-4044452087 || Mayo 2003
|| [[Image:KKM7cover.jpg|150px]]
|-
| 8 || Chi ni wa MA no Tsuku Hoshi ga Furu!
(地には㋮のつく星が降る!)
|| A Ma!Star Falls to the Earth! || ISBN 978-4044452094 || Junio 2003
|| [[Image:KKM8Cover.jpg|150px]]
|-
|}

===Seisakoku Arc===

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Novel !! Original title !! Translated title !! ISBN !! Date of publishing !! Cover
|-
| 9 || Mezase MA no Tsuku Umi no Hate!
(めざせ㋮のつく海の果て!)
|| Aim for the Ends of the Ma!Ocean! || ISBN 978-4044452117 || Abril 2004
|| [[Image:KKM9Cover.jpg|150px]]
|-
| 10 || Kore ga MA no Tsuku Daiippo!
(これが㋮のつく第一歩!)
|| This is the First Ma!Step! || ISBN 978-4044452131 || Septiembre 2004
|| [[Image:KKM10cover.jpg|150px]]
|-
| 11 || Yagate MA no Tsuku Uta ni Naru!
(やがて㋮のつく歌になる!)
|| This Will Become a Ma!Song! || ISBN 978-4044452148 || Diciembre 2004
|| [[Image:KKM11cover.jpg|150px]]
|-
| 12 || Takara wa MA no Tsuku Tsuchi no Naka!
(宝は㋮のつく土の中!)
|| The Treasure is in the Ma!Soil! || ISBN 978-4044452155 || Agosto 2005
|| [[Image:KKM12cover.jpg|150px]]
|-
| 13 || Hako wa MA no Tsuku Mizu no Soko!
(箱は㋮のつく水の底!)
|| The Box is Ma!Bottom of the Water! || ISBN 978-4044452162 || Abril 2006
|| [[Image:KKM13cover.jpg|150px]]
|-
| 14 || Suna wa MA no Tsuku Michi no Saki!
(砂は㋮のつく途の先!)
|| The Sand is at the End of the Ma!Road! || ISBN 978-4044452186 || Diciembre 2007
|| [[Image:KKM14cover.jpg|150px]]
|-
| 15 || Kokyou he MA no Tsuku Kaji wo Tore!
(故郷へ㋮のつく舵をとれ!)
|| Set Ma!Sail for Home! || ISBN 978-4044452209 || Mayo 2008
|| [[Image:KKM15cover.jpg|150px]]
|-
|}

===Prison Arc===
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Novel !! Original title !! Translated title !! ISBN !! Date of publishing !! Cover
|-
|| 16 || Mae wa MA no Tsuku Tetsugoushi!
(前は㋮のつく鉄格子!)
|| Before Us is the Ma!Prison! || ISBN 978-4044452216 || Diciembre 2008
|| [[Image:KKM16cover.jpg|150px]]
|-
|| 17 || Ushiro wa MA no Tsuku Ishi no Kabe!
(後は㋮のつく石の壁!)
|| Behind Us is the Stone Ma!Wall! || ISBN 978-4044452223 || Enero 2010
|| [[Image:KKM17cover.jpg|150px]]
|-
|| 18 || Yami ni MA no Tsuku Hi ga Tomoru!
(闇に㋮のつく灯がともる！)
|| x || — || (Not published...) || —
|-
|}

===Gaidens===
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Novel !! Original title !! Translated title !! ISBN !! Date of publishing !! Cover
|-
|| 01 || Kakka to MA no Tsuku TOSA Nikki!?
(閣下と㋮のつくトサ日記!?)
|| His Excellency and the Tosa Ma!Diary!? || ISBN 978-4044452056 || Mayo 2002
|| [[Image:KKMGaiden01cover.jpg|150px]]
|-
|| Side Story 01 || Ojousama to wa Kari no Sugata!
(お嬢様とは仮の姿!)
|| The Facade of the Lady Is a Disguise! || ISBN 978-4044452100 || Septiembre 2003
|| [[Image:KKMEspecial1.jpg|150px]]
|-
|| 02 || Musuko wa MA no Tsuku Jiyuugyou!?
(息子は㋮のつく自由業!?)
|| My Son is in Ma!Freelance Work!? || ISBN 978-4044452124 || Abril 2004
|| [[Image:KKMGaiden02cover.jpg|150px]]
|-
|| 03 || Kyou Kara MAou!?
(今日から㋮王!?)
|| Starting Today I'm the Ma!King!? || ISBN 978-4049007824 (Kumahachi Special)
ISBN 978-4044452179 (normal version)
|| Noviembre 14, 2006 (Kumahachi Special)
Noviembre 30, 2006 (normal version)
|| [[Image:KKMGaiden03cover2.jpg|150px]]
|-
|| 04 || Shin MAkoku Yori Ai wo Komete
(眞㋮国より愛をこめて)
|| From the Ma!Kingdom, With Love || ISBN 978-4044452193 || Julio 2008
|| [[Image:KKMGaiden04cover.jpg|150px]]
|-
|}

===Omnibus Re-release===
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Novel !! Original title !! Translated title !! ISBN !! Date of publishing !! Cover
|-
|| 01 || Kyou Kara Maou! Maou Tanjou Hen
(今日からマ王! 魔王誕生編)
|| x || ISBN 978-4041007396 || Marzo 2013
|| [[Image:KKMReco01.jpg|150px]]
|-
|| 02 || Kyou Kara Maou! Maou Houkou Hen
(今日からマ王! 魔王彷徨編)
|| x || ISBN 978-4041007785 || Abril 2013
|| [[Image:KKMReco02.jpg|150px]]
|-
|| 03 || Kyou Kara Maou! Chikyuu Kako Hen
(今日からマ王！地球過去編)
|| x || ISBN 978-4041009482 || Julio 2013
|| [[Image:KKMReco03.jpg|150px]]
|-
|| 04 || Kyou Kara Maou! Caloria Hen
(今日からマ王！カロリア編)
|| x || ISBN 978-4041011546 || Diciembre 2013
|| [[Image:KKMReco04.jpg|150px]]
|-
|| 05 || Kyou Kara Maou! Caloria Hen II
(今日からマ王！カロリア編 II)
|| x || ISBN 978-4041011782 || Enero 2014
|| [[Image:KKMReco05.jpg|150px]]
|-
|}

==Pages==
*[http://kyoukaramaou.wikia.com/wiki/Media Kyou Kara Maou! Wikia]
*[http://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E3%81%BE%E3%82%8B%E3%83%9E%E3%82%B7%E3%83%AA%E3%83%BC%E3%82%BA Japanese Wiki] (Maru-Ma Series)
*[http://redglassesgirl-maruma.tumblr.com/ Tumblr dedicated to Maru-MA | Kyou Kara Maou]
*[http://pdk.broken-sunshine.net/ Maru-MA Scans]
*[http://www.mangahere.co/manga/kyou_kara_maou/ Manga online]

[[Category:Light novel (English)]]
[[Category:Tomo Takabayashio]]

MaruMA:SideStory01:Chapter 5

2015-03-04T15:23:53Z

Alaxxis Sade: Created page with "===Chapter 5 Heading to Frankfurt=== Her upper body so bent it’s like she’s kneeling on the ground, April desperately tries to catch her breath, while the train’s rh..."

===Chapter 5 Heading to Frankfurt===

Her upper body so bent it’s like she’s kneeling on the ground, April desperately tries to catch her breath, while the train’s rhythmic vibrations are stimulating the wounds on her feet again. Now they’re a long distance away from the train station, and DT and Regent aren’t onboard either.

What happened to them afterwards? After making such a huge protest, would they be taken away by the soldiers for interrogation?

Whatever.

April closes her eyes slowly.

There’s no point in worrying now. Back then they agreed that if anyone was forced to stay, the rest would still get on the train. Neither they nor she was wrong.

“…But… Oh, God, what to do? I left my luggage and passport at the station!”

The SS lieutenant’s voice came from above her head, because of the significant difference in their heights.

“Unbelievable. After abandoning your husband to get onto the train, you’re more worried about your luggage and passport?”

“That’s right, I apologize for not acting professional enough. But still, not all of us get around by stealing a tank or climbing cliff, after all. And besides, when taking an international flight, I can’t get to another country without a passport… You said, husband?!”

April is so agitated she forgot that she’s still wheezing for air, and straightens up her body.

“Who? Who are you talking about?!”

“That Asian, of…”

“DT? You said DT is my husband?! Unbelievable. Please, do me a favor, stop joking like that!”

Rikhiart Deuter’s unique, silver-shining eyes are wide as saucers with surprise.

“Don’t tell me it’s the one who was yelling in French? That’s quite a large age difference between you husband and wife. But it doesn’t matter who your husband is, I have a mission to fulfill, I can’t always be taking care of you.”

Deuter puts on his gloves again, and lifts a leather box.

“Wait a sec, hey! Look here, this is empty!”

April stretches her left hand in front of him, so he can confirm for himself that she’s not wearing a wedding ring.

“I have no interest in American culture.”

“That’s not it. Why are you so sure I’m married? Didn’t you just call me an eighteen-year-old kid yesterday?”

“My older sister got married when she was eighteen, though she died when she was 23.”

“Eh… I-I’m so sorry… But I still have to explain it to you clearly! Listen up, DT has a beautiful wife, and a baby on the way! I’m currently single, and I plan on keeping that way for quite some time!”

“Is that so? Because Coruna likes going after married people, that’s why I jumped to conclusions.”

“Eh? That man is interested in married people?”

Crap, what if he really does go after DT? April feels responsible for that, but she immediately forcing her thoughts back to the topic at hand.

“Ah, how did we get so distracted? That’s not right, is it? Richard, you should have other things you want to talk about, right?!”

Deuter raises his right brow, saying in an unrelenting tone before he’s cut off.

“I’m not called Richard…”

“Not that!”

She points at her foot wordlessly, and Deuter’s mouth goes ‘oh, that’s it’.

“You’re talking about your foot? Since you were running so fiercely just now, it should be fine, right?”

“Even if you think so, you should at least ask for courtesy’s sake! How can you been so bad at being human? You were the one who made me hurt my leg in the first place!”

His expression becomes troubled, but after figuring out that April wasn’t going to let him go so easily, he has no choice but to squeeze out the words,

“…So, how’s your foot?”

“Well, at any rate I can run now, so there’s no problem.”

“…Is that so? Then I’m going to the first class carriage.”

“All you have is ‘is that so’?”

“If I say anything else, you’ll just go all upset and say, ‘I’m not a kid any more, please don’t involve yourself with me!’, won’t you?”

“You know me pretty well!”

But his voice goes softer and softer, and he stares out of the window with a creased brow.

“…I’m really glad your foot recovered so quickly, but please don’t push yourself so hard next time…”

“I’m not your girlfriend, can you not involve yourself in my matters so much?”

Deuter puts the box on the ground, and it makes a deep ‘dong’.

“What on earth do you want? Don’t tell me you want me to bow my head and apologize, saying, ‘I shouldn’t have got a little heiress like you who just happened to be at the scene involved’?”

“That’s not what I meant! I’m just purely very angry, angry at myself for running around without wearing shoes, even I don’t know how I made such an unprofessional, embarrassing mistake!”

April realizes that her tightly-gripped fists are shaking unstoppably, and immediately hides them behind her back. And the wound on her large toe is starting to hurt too, so she can only lean on the wall.

“Because that was my first time making that kind of mistake!”

He falls silent for a while. But just as he opens his mouth to speak, he feels needle-sharp gazes on his back and turns around. That’s when he notices that it’s the passengers in the second class coach, looking at the unlikely duo with uneasy gazes, but then they hurriedly look away.

“…Come over here.”

Deuter grabs April’s wrist, walking briskly down the corridor.

“H-hold on a sec! Although I’m really grateful to you for pulling me onboard, but I have no reason to go on a happy vacation with a Nazi. And my ticket is in the second class coach…”

“Please, I’m the one who should be complaining! Who would want to ride with an American heiress?”

At that, he pulls her to his side, saying softly in a dissatisfied voice,

“But just us being here is causing trouble for the other passengers. You saw it too, it wasn’t easy for them to get past those pesky customs, if they see an SS officer in the same coach as them, what do you think they’ll think? And the next stop will be in the heart of Berlin, there will be customs officers ready to take any rings or money off of them, if the customs officers discover a foreigner onboard without permission too, do you know how bad things will get? If that happens, all the passengers will be chased off under the charges of hiding you! The problem is these passengers didn’t help you, they don’t even know how you got onboard, but those soldiers couldn’t care less about all that. Are you okay with silently watching several dozen lives who could have escaped be needlessly sacrificed?!”

“Sacrificed? That’s too cruel…”

Disappointment flashes in those pale brown eyes, and the silver glow from those irises also disappear.

“If it’s the Germany right now, anything is possible.”

Deuter releases her hand, turning his back to her and saying hatefully,

“Although this is such a shameful thing.”

The officer’s words ring true. At the next stop there really are a group of lightly-armed soldiers checking every compartment. Through the window, April watches a few unlucky passengers taken off the train, and a lot of luggage is piled up on the platform. Most of it are backpacks and suitcases, very obviously the passengers’ personal belongings.

“They’re going too far.”

“Don’t look like you pity them, you have to act like it’s only natural.”

There are officers coming into the first class coach too, but maybe it’s because it’s higher than second class, their attitude is a lot more polite. Just then, a young lower-ranked soldier knocks on the door lightly, and walks into their private room, saluting to them expertly.

“I apologize, Lieutenant. May I ask, where are you headed to fulfill your duties?”

Deuter looks at the newspapers and doesn’t raise his head.

“I’m sending this to Colonel Hughes in Frankfurt.”

“…May I ask what is inside?”

Since the person he is asking is a lieutenant on the SS, his attitude is obviously very humble.

“It’s an instrument. Apparently His Excellency the President insists on hearing a musical performance during the dinner party no matter what.”

“A performance for His Excellency the President! May I ask if Lieutenant will also be attending the dinner party?”

He doesn’t answer, just looks at the lower-ranking soldier.

“It’s no noisy outside, what’s the ruckus about?”

“It’s nothing, Lieutenant, just a standard customs check. Since we can no longer stand the matter of our resources flowing out of the country, starting from last week we’ve begun checking the customs thoroughly.”

“So, that’s one of the reasons the air route has been cut off.”

“That’s right, because the airport is filled with those rich Jews. It’s one thing if those bastards want to leave, but they even want to take away our Germany’s property. Oh, yes, Lieutenant, we heard that at the starting station a foreigner got boarded without permission…”

Crap, April keeps a low profile lest she be discovered.

“Pardon me for asking, but this woman is…”

“My wife.”

The soldier has looks even more surprised than April.

“You have a wife now! Please pardon my rudeness.”

And then, the man smiles politely, speaking to April shortly in English, but the contents of his question are the complete opposite of his amiable expression, everything that comes out his mouth are derogatory insults that would alarm any woman who understood English.

But she cocks her head wordlessly, asking him back in German, “What are you saying?”

At almost the same time, the lieutenant stands up and grabs the lower-ranked soldier’s collar, even knocking off a button in the process.

“Are you insulting her?!”

“N-no, I swear I didn’t mean to!”

April is stunned into silence at the side, because she has to pretend not to understand English. After pausing for three seconds, she finally walks up to calm them down with an expression of confusion.

“I-I just thought that the missus understood English, so I did that. I apologize profusely, missus lieutenant.”

“Can you use that kind of language when talking to ladies? What kind of education did you receive in the army?! Call your superior officer over! I want to talk to him directly, and have him apologize to my wife!”

“Don’t be like that, honey, it’s okay, I don’t mind, besides, I don’t even understand it, much less feel insulted by it.”

Hearing his wife’s advice, the lieutenant waves his hand, and the foolish lower-ranked soldier practically crawls out of the room. After the footsteps disappear into the distance, the two finally give in and start laughing out loud. They roll around laughing, hammering the back of the chair with their fists.

“Y-y-y-you actually said I’m your wife! I got goosebumps all over because of you!”

“You’re one to talk! You’re obviously just a brat, but you still acted so exaggeratedly, there was no need to go all ‘don’t be like that, honey,’ was there? I got the chills down my spine because of you!”

“Did that person really believe what we said?”

“Those young people rarely come into contact with ladies anyway, so even amateurish acting can take them in completely.”

“What, aren’t you pretty young yourself?”

Rikhiart Deuter’s expression suddenly becomes very solemn.

“No, I’m already 27, there’s not much more I can do in the time I have left.”

Just then the train starts spouting steam and shaking, and the wheels start turning with a deep sound. The scenery outside the window is slowly moving too, this time the train is truly leaving Berlin.

“Sit down!”

“You sit down too!”

At the end both of them can only sit down simultaneously. The room for six now has only the two of them, and the atmosphere is filled with an awkward silence. April looks at him, slanting her face slightly.

“This is a suggestion from colleague, my grandmother was still doing this business after she just turned fifty! And you’re only twenty-seven, but you’re already saying there’s not much left you can do, saying something like that is to a disappointment to the parents who gave birth to you!”

“Hazel Graves is my colleague? Stop kidding!”

“True, instead of colleagues, you’re more like arch enemies.”

She looks at the leather case on the seat, there’s definitely no instrument inside.

“We specialize in bringing cultural artifacts back to where they belong. But a robber like you, who wants to take away everything for your own selfish desires… If that in there really is an instrument, then that Colonel Hughes guy can’t be normal either. Why would anyone want to hear a brass pipe performance over dinner? And if that’s a trumpet in there, then it’d be way too big.”

“For all you know, this is an oboe… Oh, yeah, is using an instrument as an excuse too far-fetched? Though I’m clarifying now, I didn’t take it away out of selfish desires, this was always mine.”

That line sounds familiar. That’s mine, that’s right, the Box belongs to you! April Graves.

Deuter expertly opens the lock, the metallic lock bounces open with a ‘pa-chak’. He puts the sturdy leather case on the ground, and flips open the cover, which has brass buttons embedded on the sides.

The pure white arm is lying in the middle of the bright red cloth, even after seeing it for the second time, she still thinks it’s a lot like an intricate wax form. Because it’s just too pale and too cold, so it’s hard to imagine that it’s a human arm.

“This is my… This is my ancestor’s left arm.”

“This really isn’t a model?”

“It’s not, this is human bone and flesh, made of proteins and fat. It existed in my house long before I was born, though that was something that happened about 150 years ago.”

She touches it warily, it’s as elastic and cold as it was yesterday.

“But… How can this be possible? How is it preserved? Like specimens are soaked in formaline…”

“It wasn’t properly preserved in any way, just kept out of high temperatures, moisture and direct sunlight.”

“You’re saying that again! Do you think this is pickling cucumbers?”

“It’s true. I don’t know what kind of spell was put on it, but even though its owner is long dead, and the rest of the body has rotted underground, but only this little thing here remains perfectly preserved to this day, sleeping in the mansion storehouse. And even though its owner is gone, there hasn’t been one extra wrinkle on it.”

“Its owner? Who’s that?”

“A man called Robert Belal, he should be my grandfather’s… grandfather.”

And then he says as though singing, as though he’s reciting a poem.

“A hundred and forty years ago, one night when the moon was high in the sky, a one-armed man fell from the sky. He held his amputated left arm tightly, his whole body soaked with water and blood.”

“What’s that, a Mother Goose fairy tale?”

Although she’s purposely joking, April never suspects Deuter’s words, because anything is possible in this world.

“The only ones who would believe this, are probably me and the Nazis, and the priests.”

“Isn’t that Colonel Hughes person very trustworthy?”

“The Colonel… the colonel, is it…”

Deuter turns his face towards the window, staying silent for a while as he watches the scenery fly by. Maybe he trusts that the other passenger in the car won’t steal the arm, so even though April moves to another seat, he doesn’t look around.

She didn’t see it yesterday because it was covered with a cloth, but today she can even see the forearm completely clearly, and there are two dark grey lines near the shoulder, too. If she looks closely, they’re not solid lines, but instead they’re made of tiny symbols. She can’t tell if they’re words or patterns, those weird shapes aren’t anything she’s seen before.

“What’s written there? Or maybe they’re not words?”

“There are four things in this world that should never be touched.”

The owner of the left arm shrugs his shoulders, explaining, “Actually, it’s not impossible to decipher.”

“What I’m saying is the content, because this was passed down through the generations. Not only that Frenchman, I see that you know about it too. There are four Boxes in this world, with great power sealed within. The Boxes’ names are ‘Wind’s End’, ‘Ends of the Earth’, ‘Mirror’s Depth’ and ‘Inferno on the Tundra’ respectively. Each Box has a Key. Only the correct Key can open it, none of the others can.”

“But I heard that something similar to the ‘Key’ can force it open… Wait, what does this arm have to do with the Boxes? Don’t tell me this…”

“What are you playing at, Graves, how can you stupidly chase after the Boxes without knowing anything?”

Rikhiart Deuter effortlessly lifts the arm and the red cloth around it with one hand.

“This is one of the four Keys. It’s the first one, and also the easiest to use, or the easiest to be used.”

“…How can this be, wasn’t the Key to the Box pure water…”

She’s starting to get dizzy. The man in front of her is playing with the pale wax form, even comparing it to his left shoulder. No, that’s not any wax form, it’s a nearly a 150-year-old human arm…

“The one that need pure water is ‘Mirror’s Depth’, that’s probably the Box they’re looking for so desperately. This is the Key to another Box, ‘Wind’s End’, but it may be able to open the other Boxes too, that’s why I said it’s the first Key.”

The contrast between the black uniform and the pure white arm, is so jarring it’s ominous.

“In comparison, my arm seems to be thinner. But that’s hardly surprising, the muscles you use when shooting a gun are different from wielding a sword. But if anything happens, just this bit of different can’t guarantee it’ll work.”

“What do you mean, work? Don’t tell me you want to put it work?”

Actually what she wanted to ask was how to use the Key. Deuter gestures to the insides of the leather case with his chin, and after she takes off the cloth on top, she discovers a sturdy sword you only see in medieval museums hidden in the bottom.

“I plan on doing a switch, I want to use that… to cut off my left arm, and replace this arm that hasn’t rotted in 140 years with it.”

“How is that possible…”

“I don’t know if I can pull it off, but right now there’s no other choice. Only the Key and its true wielder can control the power released by the opened Box. Right now, the army has ‘Mirror’s Depth’, and I have in my hands the Key to ‘Wind’s End’… You should have heard that as long as it’s something similar to the matching Key, then it too might be able to force the Box open. In that case, this left arm that feels like a toy, can it close the Box too?”

“Richard!”

“Those guys just want to open that Box, and release the power of evil into this world. They don’t care about the consequences at all, all they want is to increase their strength… As long as I can stop their plan, I don’t mind sacrificing anything. Besides, all it needs is one of my arms, what’s there to lose?”

“Stop talking!”

April grabs the red cloth out of his hands, roughly covering the sheathed sword, shining darkly.

That’s too much! Even if he wants to stop the enemy’s plan, there’s no need to sacrifice his own arm.

“That’s ridiculous, it’s just a Box, is there a need to protect it with your life?”

“It’s not ridiculous at all, it’s the reason I joined the SS, and was forced into wearing this uniform.”

The lieutenant angrily takes off his army hat, and tosses it to the opposite seat.

“I even made myself wear this hateful outfit! I think you Americans might never understand it… The feeling on riding a train that has gone out of control, only the passengers onboard will know it.”

Burying his fingers into his hair, Deuter looks much younger than he did before.

He looks out of the window, while April looks at his profile. The initial impression he gave, expressionless and cold, is already slowly fading away, and now he looks more like a kind, normal young man.

“That’s why you joined the SS?”

“Yes.”

“To stop the train that has gone out of control?”

“That’s right. Although they don’t like the color of my hair and eyes, but at the end I still successfully enlisted. It’s probably because I’m the descendant of the family with the Key, so they want to keep me by their side.”

Although there aren’t any other outsiders here, April still instinctively lowers her voice. Because she wants to ask this man she just met yesterday a question that can’t be simply answered.

“So, you’re planning to betray your country?”

Rikhiart Deuter stops looking out of the window, and move his gaze to his tightly-clenched left fist.

“No. Although I betrayed the Nazis, I never betrayed my country. As long as it’s beneficial to the country, I’ll do anything, get rid of any obstacles. I’m not like you, looking for the Box so you can put it up in a museum for display!”

“It’s not what you think it is!”

Once the atmosphere sinks into silence, the vibrations from the train underneath them feel all the stronger.

April follows her grandmother’s advice, closing her eyes and counting slowly to five. When the train passes by ten tracks, she carefully considers how to deal with this man. Maybe she should use more time, but a little less probably doesn’t matter anyway. Finally, despite the fact that she never found any logical conclusion, she takes a deep breath.

Truth is, sometimes you have to go with your gut.

“That Box is mine, y’know!”

“Is it that old Bapu or something lady who gave it to you?”

“No. My grandmother gave it to Mr Bapu for safekeeping after she found it, and then Hazel Graves chose me to be her heir, so that Box is now my responsibility, I have a duty to get it back!”

Grandmother, surrounded by blue flames, would surely look at April with sad eyes in her dreams, shaking her head and saying, ‘Never touch it.’ Actually April had always know that what her grandmother gave to her, isn’t anything you can express with numbers. No one can touch that Box, and she can’t let anyone touch it.

Maru-MA

2015-02-27T13:49:15Z

Alaxxis Sade: /* Updates */

{{Status|Active}}

[[Image:KKM1Cover.jpg|300px|thumb|Kyou Kara MA no Tsuku Jiyuugyou! - First novel Cover]]
[[Image:CoverKyouKaraMaouTanjouHen01.jpg|300px|thumb|Kyou Kara Maou! Maou Tanjou Hen - First recopilatory novel Cover]]
[[Image:442400.jpg|300px|thumb|Characters: Yuuri, Wolfram and Conrart]]
[[Image:442403.jpg|300px|thumb|Characters: Murata, Gwendal and Günter]]
[[Image:Dvddainisho16av3.jpg|300px|thumb|Characters: Yuuri, Günter, Wolfram, Conrart, Gwendal, Murata and Josak]]
<br /><br />
'''''Maru-MA''''' also known as The MA Series (㋮シリーズ) is a light novel series written by [[:Category:Tomo Takabayashi|Takabayashi Tomo]] and illustrated by Matsumoto Temari. The common name or community name of the series in english and spanish is Kyou Kara Maou. It's published by Kadokawa Shoten since 2000. There are currently 22 novels released. Between 2004-2009 was the series adapted into anime. The 117 episodes aired as ''Kyō kara Maō!'' (jp. 今日からマ王!) in Japan on NHK BS-2. There were two of three seasons released in english under the names Kyou Kara Maoh! and God(?), Save Our King! <br /><br />

<big>'''Story Synopsis'''</big><br /><br />
Yuri Shibuya was living a pretty normal life. That changed the day he was dunked into a toilet after an attempt to save a classmate from a gang of bullies. Instead of just getting a good soaking, he's pulled in. The next thing he knows, he's in a world that vaguely resembles medieval Europe. If that's not odd enough, he's told that he is to be the next Maoh,( Demon King ) just because he has black hair and black eyes. The Maoh is the King of the Mazoku ( Demon tribe ), who are coexisting not-so-peacefully with the humans in this world. Much to his subject's dismay, he's totally different from the rulers they're accustomed to. He's kind, considerate, a believer in justice, and not willing to use violence to solve conflicts. Not exactly someone they want running a country on the very brink of war. Now, Yuri has to deal with trying to become a good Maoh, while at the same time attempting to adapt to this land's customs and culture, all in a world where the tension between the humans and Mazoku is reaching its peak.
<br /><br />

== Translation ==

==== [[MA Series:Registration Page|Registration Page]] ====

Translators are asked to '''[[MA Series:Registration Page|register]]''' for chapters they want to work on. Please add status and date at a side of your nickname, or the word '''Completed''' when you finish a chapter.

===Format Standards===
Every Chapter (after editing) must conform to the general format guidelines.
*[[Format_guideline|General Format/Style Guideline]]
*[[MA Series:Names and Terminology Guideline|Project specific Guidelines: Names and Terminology]]

== Updates ==
*'''27 February 2015''' - Short Story 1 Chapter 3 and 4
*'''26 Febreuary 2015''' - Drama CDsː 13, 14, 16, 17, 19, 20, 22 and 23 (and audios)
*'''25 Febreuary 2015''' - Drama CDs: 1, 2, 3(only scans), 6(only scans), 7(track1-2), 8, 9, 10, 11 and 12 (and audios)
*'''19 Febreuary 2015''' - Short Stories Volume 3 - Chapter 1 part 2 added (external link)
*'''12 February 2015''' - Short Story 1 Chapter 2
*'''5 February 2015''' - Short Story 1 Prologue and Chapter 1
*'''30 January 2015''' - Volume 10 Short Story
*'''22 January 2015''' - Volume 10 Chapter 4~7
*'''13 January 2015''' - Volume 10 Chapter 1~3
*'''9 January 2015''' - Volume 9 completed
*'''23 December 2014''' - Volume 9 Chapter 6
*'''21 December 2014''' - Updated prologues for Volumes 11, 15 and 17.
*'''15 December 2014''' - Volume 9 Chapter 5
*'''12 December 2014''' - Volume 9 Chapter 4
*'''12 December 2014''' - Volume 9 Chapter 3
*'''2 October 2013''' - Apollo 00 by [http://otonashi-diva.livejournal.com/ Otonashi_diva]
*'''21 September 2013''' - Titles's translation by [http://otonashi-diva.livejournal.com/ Otonashi_diva]
*'''21 September 2013''' - Volume 4 Full Text by [http://otonashi-diva.livejournal.com/ Otonashi_diva]
*'''22 January 2012''' - Volume 1, Full Text uploaded.
*'''21 January 2012''' - Volume 8, Prologue + Chapter 1 + Chapter 2 added.
* '''21 January 2012''' - Novel 3 Full text uploaded.
* '''18 January 2012''' - Teaser Project started!

== Staff ==
Project Manager: [[user:RedGlassesGirl|RedGlassesGirl]]

=== Translators ===
'''ACTIVE'''
:*[[user:Alaxxis Sade|Alaxxis Sade]]
:*[[user:Tasear|Tasear]] [https://tasear.wordpress.com/ (Blog)]
:*[[user:Rinetto chan|Rinetto chan]]
:*[[user:Tati-ai|Tati-ai]]
:*Neko (Drama CDs)

'''INACTIVE'''
:*Emeryl ([http://www.sakuracities.com/yaoigames/kkmnovel1.php Onadoru Euphoria])
:*[http://kannnichtfranz.livejournal.com/ kannnichtfranz]
:*Dannita
:*[[user:Stellarroze|stellarroze]]
:*[[user:ClavelSangrante|ClavelSangrante]]

=== Editors ===

:*[[user:Kira0802|Kira0802]]
:*[[user:Tasear|Tasear]]
:*[[user:TerryBoom|TerryBoom]]
:*[[user:RedGlassesGirl|RedGlassesGirl]]

== MA Series ==

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==='''Volume 1 - Starting Today I'm in Ma!Freelance Work!!'''===
*[[MaruMA:Volume 01|FULL TEXT]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume01:Illustrations|Novel Illustrations]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume01:Character_Introduction|Character Introduction]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume01:Prologue|Prologue]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume01:Chapter_1|Chapter 1]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume01:Chapter_2|Chapter 2]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume01:Chapter_3|Chapter 3]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume01:Chapter_4|Chapter 4]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume01:Chapter_5|Chapter 5]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume01:Chapter_6|Chapter 6]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume01:Chapter_7|Chapter 7]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume01:Chapter_8|Chapter 8]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume01:Chapter_9|Chapter 9]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume01:Chapter_10|Chapter 10]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume01:Afterword|Afterword]]
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==='''Volume 2 - This Time it's the Ultimate Ma!Weapon!'''===
*[[MaruMA:Volume02:Illustrations | Novel Illustrations]]
*[http://www.asphodelshaven.com/translations/view/novel/kkm_02/all#cutid1 (Full Text) by AsphodelsHaven]
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==='''Volume 3 - Tonight is the Great Ma!Escape!!!'''===
*[[MaruMA:Volume 03|FULL TEXT]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume03:Illustrations|Novel Illustrations]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume03:Prologue|Prologue]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume03:Chapter_1|Chapter 1]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume03:Chapter_2|Chapter 2]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume03:Chapter_3|Chapter 3]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume03:Chapter_4|Chapter 4]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume03:Chapter_5|Chapter 5]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume03:Chapter_6|Chapter 6]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume03:Chapter_7|Chapter 7]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume03:Chapter_8|Chapter 8]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume03:Chapter_9|Chapter 9]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume03:Chapter_10|Chapter 10]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume03:Chapter_11|Chapter 11]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume03:Chapter_12|Chapter 12]]
</div>
</div>
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==='''Volume 4 - Tomorrow a Ma!Wind Will Blow!'''===
*[[MaruMA:Volume04:Illustrations | Novel Illustrations]]
*[http://otonashi-diva.livejournal.com/2718.html Prologue and Chapter 1 by Otonashi_diva]
*[http://otonashi-diva.livejournal.com/3045.html Chapter 2 by Otonashi-diva]
*[http://otonashi-diva.livejournal.com/3077.html Chapter 3 by Otonashi_diva]
*[http://otonashi-diva.livejournal.com/3576.html Chapter 4 by Otonashi_diva]
*[http://otonashi-diva.livejournal.com/3676.html Chapter 5 by Otonashi_diva]
*[http://otonashi-diva.livejournal.com/4031.html Chapter 6 by Otonashi_diva]
*[http://otonashi-diva.livejournal.com/4301.html Chapter 7 by Otonashi_diva]
*[http://otonashi-diva.livejournal.com/4481.html Chapter 8 by Otonashi_diva]
*[http://otonashi-diva.livejournal.com/4790.html Chapter 9 by Otonashi_diva]
*[http://otonashi-diva.livejournal.com/5055.html Chapter 10 by Otonashi_diva]
</div>
</div>
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==='''Short Stories Volume 1 - His Excellency and the Tosa Ma!Diary!?'''===
*[[MaruMA:Gaiden01:Illustrations|Novel Illustrations]]
*[http://otonashi-diva.livejournal.com/8339.html Prologue by otonashi-diva]
*[http://otonashi-diva.livejournal.com/8807.html The Taming of the Bear - Day 1 by otonashi-diva]
*[http://otonashi-diva.livejournal.com/9053.html The Taming of the Bear - Day 2 by otonashi-diva]
*[http://otonashi-diva.livejournal.com/9642.html The Taming of the Bear - Day 3 by otonashi-diva]
*[http://otonashi-diva.livejournal.com/10744.html Romero & Argent Part 1 by otonashi-diva]
*[http://otonashi-diva.livejournal.com/10865.html Romero & Argent Part 2 by otonashi-diva]
*[http://otonashi-diva.livejournal.com/11259.html All's Well That Ends Well Part 1 by otonashi-diva]
*[http://otonashi-diva.livejournal.com/11299.html All's Well That Ends Well Part 2 by otonashi-diva]
*[http://otonashi-diva.livejournal.com/11550.html Epilogue]
</div>
</div>
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==='''Volume 5 - The Ma!Sun Will Definitely Rise!'''===
*[[MaruMA:Volume05:Illustrations|Novel Illustrations]]
*[http://kannnichtfranz.livejournal.com/232017.html Prologue & Chapter 1 by kannnichtfranz]
*[http://kannnichtfranz.livejournal.com/232318.html Chapter 2 by kannnichtfranz]
*[http://kannnichtfranz.livejournal.com/232722.html Chapter 3 by kannnichtfranz]
*[http://kannnichtfranz.livejournal.com/233072.html Chapter 4 by kannnichtfranz]
*[http://kannnichtfranz.livejournal.com/233459.html Chapter 5 by kannnichtfranz]
*[http://kannnichtfranz.livejournal.com/233597.html Chapter 6 by kannnichtfranz]
*[http://kannnichtfranz.livejournal.com/234109.html Chapter 7 by kannnichtfranz]
*[http://kannnichtfranz.livejournal.com/234400.html Chapter 8 by kannnichtfranz]
*[http://kannnichtfranz.livejournal.com/234650.html Chapter 9 by kannnichtfranz]
*[http://kannnichtfranz.livejournal.com/234839.html Chapter 10 by kannnichtfranz]
</div>
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==='''Volume 6 - Someday in the Ma!Twilight!'''===
*[[MaruMA:Volume06:Illustrations|Novel Illustrations]]
*[http://kannnichtfranz.livejournal.com/240669.html Prologue & Chapter 1 by kannnichtfranz]
*[http://kannnichtfranz.livejournal.com/241095.html Chapter 2 by kannnichtfranz]
*[http://kannnichtfranz.livejournal.com/241290.html Chapter 3 by kannnichtfranz]
*[http://kannnichtfranz.livejournal.com/243822.html Chapter 4 by kannnichtfranz]
*[http://kannnichtfranz.livejournal.com/244149.html Chapter 5 by kannnichtfranz]
*[http://otonashi-diva.livejournal.com/6036.html Chapter 6 by otonashi-diva]
*[http://otonashi-diva.livejournal.com/6189.html Chapter 7 by otonashi-diva]
*[http://otonashi-diva.livejournal.com/6468.html Chapter 8 by otonashi-diva]
*[http://otonashi-diva.livejournal.com/6976.html Chapter 9 by otonashi-diva]
*[http://otonashi-diva.livejournal.com/7219.html Chapter 10 by otonashi-diva]
*[http://otonashi-diva.livejournal.com/7581.html Chapter 11 by otonashi-diva]
</div>
</div>
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==='''Volume 7 - The Ma!Snow Dances in the Sky!'''===
*[https://docs.google.com/View?docid=dd9f2j4p_4dj842w&pli=1 FULL TEXT by vivarina]
*[[MaruMA:Volume07:Illustrations|Novel Illustrations]]
*[http://kyou-kara-maou.livejournal.com/1163379.html#cutid1 Chapter 1 by vivarina]
*[http://kyou-kara-maou.livejournal.com/1167043.html#cutid1 Chapter 2 by vivarina]
*[http://kyou-kara-maou.livejournal.com/1171141.html#cutid1 Chapter 3 by vivarina]
*[http://otonashi-diva.livejournal.com/8190.html Chapter 4 by otonashi-diva]]
*[http://otonashi-diva.livejournal.com/8634.html Chapter 5 by otonashi-diva]
*[http://otonashi-diva.livejournal.com/9400.html Chapter 6 by otonashi-diva]
*[http://otonashi-diva.livejournal.com/9941.html Chapter 7 by otonashi-diva]
*[http://otonashi-diva.livejournal.com/10037.html Chapter 8 by otonashi-diva]
*[http://otonashi-diva.livejournal.com/10321.html Chapter 9 by otonashi diva]
*[https://docs.google.com/document/pub?id=1VP8yzjkY0i62pwcmSUj2uHeabpelL-aQTU77CeHSsVM#cutid1 Chapter 10]
*[https://docs.google.com/document/pub?id=13bWqLhPRQ5Te5K-_7kypSVv6SSejSR_ry-5vS0XLDyA#cutid1 Chapter 11]
*[https://docs.google.com/document/pub?id=1OHeGlD5ThrgwU4AVPSQnvN-RAsUaeQxSMNPTbV789mQ#cutid1 Chapter 12]
</div>
</div>
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=== '''Volume 8 - A Ma!Star Falls to the Earth!''' ===
*[[MaruMA:Volume08:Illustrations|Novel Illustrations]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume08:Prologue|Prologue]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume08:Chapter 1|Chapter 1]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume08:Chapter 2|Chapter 2]]
*[http://otonashi-diva.livejournal.com/14476.html Chapter 3 by otonashi-diva]
*[http://otonashi-diva.livejournal.com/14610.html Chapter 4 by otonashi-diva]
*[http://otonashi-diva.livejournal.com/14899.html Chapter 5 by otonashi-diva]
*[http://otonashi-diva.livejournal.com/15244.html Chapter 6 by otonashi-diva]
*[http://otonashi-diva.livejournal.com/15403.html Chapter 7 by otonashi-diva]
*[http://otonashi-diva.livejournal.com/15696.html Chapter 8 by otonashi-diva]
*[http://otonashi-diva.livejournal.com/16166.html Chapter 9 by otonashi-diva]
*[[MaruMA:Volume08:Afterword|Afterword]]
</div>
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==='''Side Story 1 - The Facade of the Lady Is a Disguise!'''===
*[[MaruMA:SideStory01:Illustrations|Novel Illustrations]]
*[[MaruMA:SideStory01:Prologue|Prologue]]
*[[MaruMA:SideStory01:Chapter 1|Chapter 1]]
*[[MaruMA:SideStory01:Chapter 2|Chapter 2]]
*[[MaruMA:SideStory01:Chapter 3|Chapter 3]]
*[[MaruMA:SideStory01:Chapter 4|Chapter 4]]
*[[MaruMA:SideStory01:Chapter 5|Chapter 5]]
*[[MaruMA:SideStory01:Chapter 6|Chapter 6]]
*[[MaruMA:SideStory01:Chapter 7|Chapter 7]]
*[[MaruMA:SideStory01:Chapter 8|Chapter 8]]
*[[MaruMA:SideStory01:Afterword|Afterword]]
</div>
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==='''Volume 9 - Aim for the Ends of the Ma!Ocean!'''===
*[[MaruMA:Volume09:Illustrations|Novel Illustrations]]
*[http://macimoci.livejournal.com/3181.html#cutid1 Chapter 1 Part 1][http://macimoci.livejournal.com/3925.html#cutid1 Chapter 1 Part 2]
*[http://macimoci.livejournal.com/3598.html#cutid1 Chapter 2]
*[[MaruMA:Volume09:Chapter 3|Chapter 3]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume09:Chapter 4|Chapter 4]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume09:Chapter 5|Chapter 5]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume09:Chapter 6|Chapter 6]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume09:Chapter 7|Chapter 7]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume09:Chapter 8|Chapter 8]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume09:Chapter 9|Chapter 9]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume09:Chapter 10|Chapter 10]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume09:Afterword|Afterword]]
</div>
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==='''Short Stories Volume 2 - My Son is in Ma!Freelance Work!?'''===
*[[MaruMA:Gaiden02:Illustrations|Novel Illustrations]]
*[[MaruMA:Gaiden02:Chapter 1|Chapter 1]]
*[[MaruMA:Gaiden02:Chapter 2|Chapter 2]]
*[[MaruMA:Gaiden02:Chapter 3|Chapter 3]]
</div>
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=== '''Volume 10 - This is the First Ma!Step!''' ===
*[[MaruMA:Volume10:Illustrations|Novel Illustrations]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume10:Prologue|Prologue]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume10:Chapter 1|Chapter 1]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume10:Chapter 2|Chapter 2]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume10:Chapter 3|Chapter 3]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume10:Chapter 4|Chapter 4]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume10:Chapter 5|Chapter 5]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume10:Chapter 6|Chapter 6]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume10:Chapter 7|Chapter 7]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume10:Short Story|Short Story]]
</div>
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==='''Volume 11 - This Will Become a Ma!Song!'''===

*[[MaruMA:Volume11:Illustrations|Novel Illustrations]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume11:Prologue|Prologue]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume11:Chapter 1|Chapter 1]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume11:Chapter 2|Chapter 2]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume11:Chapter 3|Chapter 3]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume11:Chapter 4|Chapter 4]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume11:Chapter 5|Chapter 5]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume11:Chapter 6|Chapter 6]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume11:Chapter 7|Chapter 7]]
*[http://conradxyuuri.livejournal.com/243017.html#cutid1 Chapter 8 by pyrrhic_victoly]
*[[MaruMA:Volume11:Afterword|Afterword]]
</div>
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==='''Volume 12 - The Treasure is in the Ma!Soil!'''===

*[[MaruMA:Volume12:Illustrations|Novel Illustrations]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume12:Prologue|Prologue]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume12:Chapter 1|Chapter 1]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume12:Chapter 2|Chapter 2]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume12:Chapter 3|Chapter 3]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume12:Chapter 4|Chapter 4]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume12:Chapter 5|Chapter 5]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume12:Chapter 6|Chapter 6]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume12:Chapter 7|Chapter 7]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume12:Chapter 8|Chapter 8]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume12:Afterword|Afterword]]
</div>
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==='''Volume 13 - The Box is Ma!Bottom of the Water!'''===

*[[MaruMA:Volume13:Illustrations|Novel Illustrations]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume13:Prologue|Prologue]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume13:Chapter 1|Chapter 1]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume13:Chapter 2|Chapter 2]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume13:Chapter 3|Chapter 3]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume13:Chapter 4|Chapter 4]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume13:Chapter 5|Chapter 5]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume13:Chapter_6|Chapter 6]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume13:Chapter 7|Chapter 7]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume13:Chapter 8|Chapter 8]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume13:Who's the Demon King's future Queen?...! |Who's the Majesty's Maou's future Mate?...!]] [[http://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/50465121/Novela%2013%20-%20capitulo%20especial.pdf Spanish]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume13:Afterword|Afterword]]
</div>
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==='''Short Stories Volume 3 - Starting Today I'm the Ma!King!?'''===

*[[MaruMA:Gaiden03:Illustrations|Novel Illustrations]]
*[https://docs.google.com/document/pub?id=1iN9rRhN5s2dbrwwgtkiTx2cjSKsvBu5_NVyYkCtBa0Y#cutid1 Chapter 1 Part 1] by pyrrhic_victoly
*[https://docs.google.com/a/globant.com/document/d/19n2oh6y2nbHtbuTMycWe_5Tub0_jW5wyp-0923tx-yE/pub Chapter 1 Part 2] by pyrrhic_victoly
*[https://docs.google.com/document/pub?id=1e04HAwN8hIGJ-lfDSP2UOpBLYCtZ1cJgN5yGQJ4XgOY#cutid1 Chapter 2] by pyrrhic_victoly
*[https://docs.google.com/document/pub?id=17--kwAQsiExEC4l6efpTVmi2QJix-0HvsTcCO5SYAAs#cutid1 Chapter 3] by pyrrhic_victoly
*[https://docs.google.com/document/pub?id=1NrZt198gxSyAMVTb144BWoYhbroFPcdkzPX0vIAB5Qk#cutid1 Chapter 4] by pyrrhic_victoly
*[https://docs.google.com/document/pub?id=1DD5pV5jTbUgubq7jBdmBt5bopY4CF6jPaG__x9W-ppU#cutid1 Chapter 5] by pyrrhic_victoly
</div>
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==='''Volume 14 - The Sand is at the End of the Ma!Road!'''===
*[[MaruMA:Volume14:Illustrations|Novel Illustrations]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume14:Prologue|Prologue]]
*[http://kyou-kara-maou.livejournal.com/1682136.html#cutid1 Chapter 1]
*[http://kyou-kara-maou.livejournal.com/1689137.html#cutid1#cutid1 Chapter 2]
*[http://kyou-kara-maou.livejournal.com/1714134.html#cutid1 Chapter 3 Part 1][http://kyou-kara-maou.livejournal.com/1715453.html#cutid1 Chapter 3 Part 2]
*[[MaruMA:Volume14:Chapter 4|Chapter 4]]
*[http://kyou-kara-maou.livejournal.com/1750461.html#cutid1 Chapter 5]
*[http://kyou-kara-maou.livejournal.com/1752526.html#cutid1 Chapter 6]
*[http://kyou-kara-maou.livejournal.com/1754671.html#cutid1 Chapter 7]
*[[MaruMA:Volume14:Chapter 8|Chapter 8]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume14:Short Story|Short Story]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume14:Afterword|Afterword]]
</div>
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==='''Volume 15 - Set Ma!Sail for Home!'''===
*[[MaruMA:Volume15:Illustrations|Novel Illustrations]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume15:Prologue|Prologue]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume15:Chapter 1|Chapter 1]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume15:Chapter 2|Chapter 2]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume15:Chapter 3|Chapter 3]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume15:Chapter 4|Chapter 4]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume15:Chapter 5|Chapter 5]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume15:Chapter 6|Chapter 6]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume15:Chapter 7|Chapter 7]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume15:Chapter 8|Chapter 8]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume15:Afterword|Afterword]]
</div>
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==='''Short Stories Volume 4 - From the Ma!Kingdom, With Love'''===
*[[MaruMA:Gaiden04:Illustrations|Novel Illustrations]]
*[[MaruMA:Gaiden04:Chapter_1|Chapter 1]]
*[[MaruMA:Gaiden04:Chapter 2|Chapter 2]]
*[http://conradxyuuri.livejournal.com/262544.html#t1975440 Chapter 3 by macimoci]
*[[MaruMA:Gaiden04:Chapter 4|Chapter 4]]
*[[MaruMA:Gaiden04:Chapter 5|Chapter 5]]
*[[MaruMA:Gaiden04:Chapter 6|Chapter 6]]
*[[MaruMA:Gaiden04:Chapter 7|Chapter 7]]
</div>
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==='''Volume 16 - Before Us is the Ma!Prison!'''===
*[[MaruMA:Volume16:Illustrations|Novel Illustrations]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume16:Prologue|Prologue]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume16:Chapter 1|Chapter 1]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume16:Chapter 2|Chapter 2]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume16:Chapter 3|Chapter 3]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume16:Chapter 4|Chapter 4]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume16:Chapter 5|Chapter 5]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume16:Chapter 6|Chapter 6]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume16:Chapter 7|Chapter 7]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume16:Chapter 8|Chapter 8]]
</div>
</div>
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==='''Volume 17 - Behind Us is the Stone Ma!Wall!'''===
Behind the Stone Walls
*[[MaruMA:Volume17:Illustrations|Novel Illustrations]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume17:Prologue|Prologue]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume17:Chapter 1|Chapter 1]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume17:Chapter 2|Chapter 2]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume17:Chapter 3|Chapter 3]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume17:Chapter 4|Chapter 4]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume17:Chapter 5|Chapter 5]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume17:Chapter 6|Chapter 6]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume17:Chapter 7|Chapter 7]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume17:Chapter 8|Chapter 8]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume17:Chapter 9|Chapter 9]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume17:Chapter 10|Chapter 10]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume17:Chapter 11|Chapter 11]]
</div>
</div>
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=== '''Volume 18 - The Ma!Light Burns in the Darkness!''' ===
*Not published.
</div>
</div>
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<br style="clear:both"/>

==Extras & Specials==

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==='''Kyou Kara Maou! Maou Tanjou Hen'''===
*[http://otonashi-diva.livejournal.com/12090.html But My Heart Will Probably Beat Excitedly]
</div>
</div>
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<div style="margin: 10px; margin-top: -5px;">

=== '''Kyou Kara Maou! Maou Houkou Hen''' ===
*[http://otonashi-diva.livejournal.com/11907.html Together with Father]
</div>
</div>
|}

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<div style="float: left;">
| valign="top" |
<div style="margin: 10px; margin-top: -5px;">
=== '''Special "ドキッ☆男だらけの深夜便"'''===

*[[MaruMA:VolumeAnissinaSpecial_Illustrations|Novel Illustrations]]
*[http://otonashi-diva.livejournal.com/12681.html 世界の国から毒女 Part 1]
*[http://otonashi-diva.livejournal.com/12996.html 世界の国から毒女 Part 2]
*CD Drama "Ｄの世界"
</div>
</div>
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="width: 750px; height: 350px; float: left;"
|-
|-
| style="width:180px;" | [[Image:MAhon.jpg|250px|center]] <br>
<div style="float: left;">
| valign="top" |
<div style="margin: 10px; margin-top: -5px;">

=== '''MA-Hon'''===
*[http://otonashi-diva.livejournal.com/13095.html Getting to Know The Great Demon Kingdom by Walking Through a Ma!Town]
*[http://otonashi-diva.livejournal.com/13527.html Interview]
*[http://otonashi-diva.livejournal.com/13590.html Special Short Story: Replay (SSS Re:) 1-6]
*[http://otonashi-diva.livejournal.com/14063.html Special Short Story: Replay (SSS Re:) 7-13]
*[http://otonashi-diva.livejournal.com/14186.html Special Short Story: Replay (SSS Re:) 14-End]
</div>
</div>
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="width: 750px; height: 350px; float: left;"
|-
|-
| style="width:180px;" | [[Image:Tumblr_ng8rw2f3821tgy9eeo2_250.png|250px|center]] <br>
<div style="float: left;">
| valign="top" |
<div style="margin: 10px; margin-top: -5px;">

=== '''Apollo 00'''===
*[[MaruMA:Apollo00:Illustrations|Novel Illustrations]]
*[http://otonashi-diva.livejournal.com/7751.html Apollo 00] by Otonashi_diva
</div>
</div>
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="width: 750px; height: 350px; float: left;"
|-
|-
| style="width:180px;" | [[Image:Tumblr_ng8rw2f3821tgy9eeo1_250.png|250px|center]] <br>
<div style="float: left;">
| valign="top" |
<div style="margin: 10px; margin-top: -5px;">
=== '''Apollo 01'''===
[[MaruMA:Apollo01:Illustrations|Novel Illustrations]]
*[http://otonashi-diva.livejournal.com/12493.html Alice by otonashi-diva]
</div>
</div>
|}

<br style="clear:both"/>

==Drama CDs==
'''1. Merry Christmas in Shin-Makoku'''
*[[MaruMA:DramaCD1:Scans|Scans]]
*[[MaruMA:DramaCD1:Track1|Single track]]
<br/>
'''2. The second and third son's secret talk'''
*[[MaruMA:DramaCD2:Track1|Single track]]
<br/>
'''3. Starting Today I'm in Ma!Freelance Work!! (Drama CD)'''<br/>
*[[MaruMA:DramaCD3:Scans|Scans]]
<br/>
'''4. The Maou, the second and third sons, a common landscape. '''
<br/><br/>
'''5. Let's SHOW the dreams!'''
<br/><br/>
'''6. The other side of "This Time it's the Ultimate Ma!Weapon!"'''
*[[MaruMA:DramaCD6:Scans|Scans]]
<br/>
'''7. The other side of "Tonight is the Great Ma!Escape!!!"'''
*[[MaruMA:DramaCD7:Track1|Track 1: Prologue (3:12)]]
*[[MaruMA:DramaCD7:Track2|Track 2: The aquarium too has many risks (5:36)]]
<br/>
'''8. MuraKensu Double Plus'''
*[[MaruMA:DramaCD8:Track1|Single track]]
<br/>
'''09.The other side of Tomorrow a Ma!Wind Will Blow!'''
*[[MaruMA:DramaCD9:Track1|Track 1: Prologue (5:17)]]
*[[MaruMA:DramaCD9:Track2|Track 2: Bad morning goal (6:59)]]
*[[MaruMA:DramaCD9:Track3|Track 3: Let's GO on a boat trip！(8:18)]]
*[[MaruMA:DramaCD9:Track4|Track 4: Meanwhile in Shin Makoku (8:15)]]
*[[MaruMA:DramaCD9:Track5|Track 5: Doki-Doki - Town of the Steamy hot springs (6:20)]]
*[[MaruMA:DramaCD9:Track6|Track 6: The life of a monk covered in earthly desires (8:01) ]]
*[[MaruMA:DramaCD9:Track7|Track 7: The play of Hell Paradise (7:20)]]
*[[MaruMA:DramaCD9:Track8|Track 8: Home & Home (6:49)]]
*[[MaruMA:DramaCD9:Track9|Track 9: If I could go back, after going back (3:38)]]
*[[MaruMA:DramaCD9:Track10|Track 10: Mini-drama: The Pains of His Excellency Gwendal (7:40)]]
*[[MaruMA:DramaCD9:Track11|Track 11: Epilogue (3:13)]]
<br/>
'''10.The Demon King Room Visits - Conrad's part '''
*[[MaruMA:DramaCD10:Track1|Single track]]
<br/>
'''11. The Demon King Room Visits - Murata's part'''
*[[MaruMA:DramaCD11:Track1|Single track]]
<br/>
'''12. The Demon King Room Visits - Cherie and Anissina's part'''
*[[MaruMA:DramaCD12:Track1|Single track]]
<br/>
'''13. The Demon King Room Visits - Günter's part'''
*[[MaruMA:DramaCD13:Track1|Single track]]
<br/>
'''14. The Demon King Room Visits- Gwendal's part'''
*[[MaruMA:DramaCD14:Track1|Single track]]
<br/>
'''15. The Demon King Room Visits - Wolfram and Greta's part'''
<br/><br/>
'''16. Oresama Quest- Special Drama CD'''<br/>
*Track 1: Mini-drama: Washed to another world route
*[[MaruMA:DramaCD16:Track2|Track 2: Mini-drama: Maou solves the case of the missing item]]
*[[MaruMA:DramaCD16:Track3|Track 3: Mini-drama: The Mid-summer Ma dream]]
<br/>
'''17. Shin Makoku's Battle Game'''
*[[MaruMA:DramaCD17:Track1|Track 1: Title (0:08) | Track 2: The meeting to make a Game in Shin Makoku (11:24)]]
*[[MaruMA:DramaCD17:Track3|Track 3: Middle-Boss Fight 1 （8:12）]]
*[[MaruMA:DramaCD17:Track4|Track 4: Middle-Boss fight 2（8:04）]]
*[[MaruMA:DramaCD17:Track5|Track 5: Last Boss （8:43）]]
*[[MaruMA:DramaCD17:Track6|Track 6: Game Clear Ending（3:52）]]
*[[MaruMA:DramaCD17:Track7|Track 7: MuraKenzu（3:57）]]
<br/>
'''18. Kyou Kara Maou- Hajimari no Tabi- Perfect Fan Book Drama CD'''

<br/><br/>
'''19. A great day with a wonderful Ma-friend- Conrad & Günter'''
*[[MaruMA:DramaCD19:Track1|Single track]]
<br/>
'''20. A great day with a wonderful Ma-friend - Conrad & Josak'''
*[[MaruMA:DramaCD20:Track1|Single track]]
<br/>
'''21. A great day with a wonderful Ma-friend - Yuuri and Wolfram'''
<br/><br/>
'''22.A great day with a wonderful Ma-friend - Conrad & Yuuri'''
*[[MaruMA:DramaCD22:Track1|Single track]]
<br/>
'''23.A great day with a wonderful Ma-friend - Yuuri & Murata'''
*[[MaruMA:DramaCD23:Track1|Single track]]
<br/>
'''24. The Love Diary of His Excellency and the King!? '''
<br/><br/>
'''25. The other MA side Deluxe!'''
<br/><br/>
'''26. The Mazoku's Casual Trip to Earth - Yuuri and Wolfram'''
<br/><br/>
'''27. The Mazoku's Casual Trip to Earth - Conrad and Shouri'''
<br/><br/>
'''28. The Mazoku's Casual Trip to Earth - Yuuri and Shouri'''
<br/><br/>
'''29. The Mazoku's Casual Trip to Earth - Gunter, Yuuri and Murata'''
<br/><br/>
'''30. The Mazoku's Casual Trip to Earth - Wolf, Con & Gwen'''
<br/><br/>
'''31. Project B'''
<br/><br/>
'''32. Maou Birth™Special '''
<br/><br/>
'''33. Kyou Kara Maou- Hajimari no Tabi Band- Original CD Drama'''
<br/><br/>
'''34. From now on I'm a Heroine?! Aiming for the Koshien* sky! The day off of Murakensu.'''
<br/><br/>
'''35. Maou! Regal Birth CD'''
<br/><br/>
'''36. Ura Ma R! -Yuuri, Shouri and Conrad'''
<br/><br/>
'''37. Ura Ma R! - Saralegi, Berias and Yozak'''
<br/><br/>
'''38. Ura Ma R!- Shinou and Murata'''
<br/><br/>
'''39. Ura Ma R! Gwendal, Wolfram and Yozak'''
<br/><br/>
'''40. Ura Ma R! Yuuri, Saralegi,and Gunter'''
<br/><br/>
'''41.Kyou Kara Maou- A Day Off in Shin Makoku- Perfect Fan Book Original Drama CD'''
<br/><br/>
'''42.Kyou Kara Maou! A Day off in Shin Makoku-Limited Box -Shop Original Drama CD'''
<br/><br/>
'''43. Secret'''
*Track 1 Secret- Present
*Track 2 Secret- Past
*Track 3 Secret - And now, the present
<br/>
'''44. Maou! Harvest Festival CD'''
<br/><br/>
'''45. These are the MA Holidays!‏'''
<br/><br/>
'''46. This is the MA Grand Finale!'''
<br/><br/>
'''47. Ura Ma3 - Yuuri Conrad and Waltorana'''
<br/><br/>
'''48. Ura Ma3 - Yuuri, Wolfram and Waltorana'''
<br/><br/>
'''49. Ura Ma3 - Yuuri, Conrad and Greta'''
<br/><br/>
'''50. Ura Ma3 - Yuuri, Murata and Josak'''
<br/><br/>
'''51. Ura Ma3 - Gwendal, Yozak, Densham (von Karbelnikoff)'''
<br/><br/>
'''52. Ura Ma3 - Shouri Wolfram and Murata'''
<br/><br/>
'''53. Ura Ma3 - Yuuri, Conrad and Del Kierson (von Wincott)'''
<br/><br/>
'''54. Ura Ma3 - Gwendal, Wolfram and Saralegi'''
<br/><br/>
'''55. Kyou Kara MAou! Seisakoku DX! Outward Journey'''
<br/><br/>
'''56. Kyou Kara MAou! Seisakoku DX! Return Trip'''
<br/><br/>
'''57. The Maou, the second and third sons' unsupervised talk'''
<br/><br/>
'''58. The camping trip will be fine'''
<br/><br/>
'''59. This is the MA undesirable but, inseparable relationship?! '''( Announced but never released)
<br/><br/>
'''60.Ura Ma3 - Gunter, Del Kierson, and Densham'''
<br/><br/>
'''61.Ura Ma3 - Yuuri, Shouri and Conrad'''
<br/><br/>
'''62.Ura Ma3 - Conrad, Wolfram, and Murata'''
<br/><br/>
'''63.Ura Ma3 - Conrad, Gwendal and Saralegi'''
<br/><br/>
'''64.Ura Ma3 - Yuuri, Shouri, and Wolfram'''
<br/><br/>
'''65.Ura Ma3 - Shinou, Murata, and Janus'''
<br/><br/>
'''66. Maou in Wonderland'''
<br/><br/>
'''67. Maou behind the Mirror'''
<br/><br/>
'''68. The D World'''
<br/><br/>
'''69. Lord Weller's Night-Night'''
<br/><br/>
'''70. Maou Heika and his Fiance's "Sleep Tight"'''
<br/><br/>
'''71. Maou Heika and the person who named him "I can't sleep tonight".'''
<br/><br/>

==DVD Specials==
'''1. Kyou Kara Maou! Thanks to the Fans! There's Valentine's Day in Shin-Makoku too?! '''
<br/><br/>

== Series Overview ==

===Main Story===

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Novel !! Original title !! Translated title !! ISBN !! Date of publishing !! Cover
|-
| 1 || Kyou Kara MA no Tsuku Jiyuugyou!
(今日から㋮のつく自由業!)
|| Starting Today I'm in Ma!Freelance Work!! || ISBN 978-4044420017,
ISBN 978-4044452018 (re-release)
|| Noviembre 2000,
Septiembre 2001 (re-release)
|| [[Image:KKM1Cover.jpg|150px]]
|-
| 2 || Kondo wa MA no Tsuku Saishuu Heiki!
(今度は㋮のつく最終兵器!)
|| This Time it's the Ultimate Ma!Weapon! ||ISBN 978-4044420024,
ISBN 978-4044452025 (re-release)
|| Abril 2001,
Septiembre 2001 (re-release)
|| [[Image:Novel02cover.jpg|150px]]
|-
| 3 || Konya wa MA no Tsuku Daidassou!
(今夜は㋮のつく大脱走!)
|| Tonight is the Great Ma!Escape!!! || ISBN 978-4044452032 || Noviembre 2001
|| [[Image:KKM3Cover.jpg|150px]]
|-
| 4 || Ashita wa MA no Tsuku Kaze ga Fuku!
(明日は㋮のつく風が吹く!)
|| Tomorrow a Ma!Wind Will Blow! || ISBN 978-4044452049 || Febrero 2002
|| [[Image:KKM4Cover.jpg|150px]]
|}

===Caloria Arc===

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Novel !! Original title !! Translated title !! ISBN !! Date of publishing !! Cover
|-
| 5 || Kitto MA no Tsuku Hi ga Noboru!
(きっと㋮のつく陽が昇る!)
|| The Ma!Sun Will Definitely Rise! || ISBN 978-4044452063 || Septiembre 2002
|| [[Image:KKM5Cover.jpg|150px]]
|-
| 6 || Itsuka MA no Tsuku Yuugureni!
(いつか㋮のつく夕暮れに!)
|| Someday in the Ma!Twilight! || ISBN 978-4044452070 || Diciembre 2002
|| [[Image:KKM6Cover.jpg|150px]]
|-
| 7 || Ten ni MA no Tsuku Yuki ga Mau!
(天に㋮のつく雪が舞う!)
|| The Ma!Snow Dances in the Sky! || ISBN 978-4044452087 || Mayo 2003
|| [[Image:KKM7cover.jpg|150px]]
|-
| 8 || Chi ni wa MA no Tsuku Hoshi ga Furu!
(地には㋮のつく星が降る!)
|| A Ma!Star Falls to the Earth! || ISBN 978-4044452094 || Junio 2003
|| [[Image:KKM8Cover.jpg|150px]]
|-
|}

===Seisakoku Arc===

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Novel !! Original title !! Translated title !! ISBN !! Date of publishing !! Cover
|-
| 9 || Mezase MA no Tsuku Umi no Hate!
(めざせ㋮のつく海の果て!)
|| Aim for the Ends of the Ma!Ocean! || ISBN 978-4044452117 || Abril 2004
|| [[Image:KKM9Cover.jpg|150px]]
|-
| 10 || Kore ga MA no Tsuku Daiippo!
(これが㋮のつく第一歩!)
|| This is the First Ma!Step! || ISBN 978-4044452131 || Septiembre 2004
|| [[Image:KKM10cover.jpg|150px]]
|-
| 11 || Yagate MA no Tsuku Uta ni Naru!
(やがて㋮のつく歌になる!)
|| This Will Become a Ma!Song! || ISBN 978-4044452148 || Diciembre 2004
|| [[Image:KKM11cover.jpg|150px]]
|-
| 12 || Takara wa MA no Tsuku Tsuchi no Naka!
(宝は㋮のつく土の中!)
|| The Treasure is in the Ma!Soil! || ISBN 978-4044452155 || Agosto 2005
|| [[Image:KKM12cover.jpg|150px]]
|-
| 13 || Hako wa MA no Tsuku Mizu no Soko!
(箱は㋮のつく水の底!)
|| The Box is Ma!Bottom of the Water! || ISBN 978-4044452162 || Abril 2006
|| [[Image:KKM13cover.jpg|150px]]
|-
| 14 || Suna wa MA no Tsuku Michi no Saki!
(砂は㋮のつく途の先!)
|| The Sand is at the End of the Ma!Road! || ISBN 978-4044452186 || Diciembre 2007
|| [[Image:KKM14cover.jpg|150px]]
|-
| 15 || Kokyou he MA no Tsuku Kaji wo Tore!
(故郷へ㋮のつく舵をとれ!)
|| Set Ma!Sail for Home! || ISBN 978-4044452209 || Mayo 2008
|| [[Image:KKM15cover.jpg|150px]]
|-
|}

===Prison Arc===
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Novel !! Original title !! Translated title !! ISBN !! Date of publishing !! Cover
|-
|| 16 || Mae wa MA no Tsuku Tetsugoushi!
(前は㋮のつく鉄格子!)
|| Before Us is the Ma!Prison! || ISBN 978-4044452216 || Diciembre 2008
|| [[Image:KKM16cover.jpg|150px]]
|-
|| 17 || Ushiro wa MA no Tsuku Ishi no Kabe!
(後は㋮のつく石の壁!)
|| Behind Us is the Stone Ma!Wall! || ISBN 978-4044452223 || Enero 2010
|| [[Image:KKM17cover.jpg|150px]]
|-
|| 18 || Yami ni MA no Tsuku Hi ga Tomoru!
(闇に㋮のつく灯がともる！)
|| x || — || (Not published...) || —
|-
|}

===Gaidens===
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Novel !! Original title !! Translated title !! ISBN !! Date of publishing !! Cover
|-
|| 01 || Kakka to MA no Tsuku TOSA Nikki!?
(閣下と㋮のつくトサ日記!?)
|| His Excellency and the Tosa Ma!Diary!? || ISBN 978-4044452056 || Mayo 2002
|| [[Image:KKMGaiden01cover.jpg|150px]]
|-
|| Side Story 01 || Ojousama to wa Kari no Sugata!
(お嬢様とは仮の姿!)
|| The Facade of the Lady Is a Disguise! || ISBN 978-4044452100 || Septiembre 2003
|| [[Image:KKMEspecial1.jpg|150px]]
|-
|| 02 || Musuko wa MA no Tsuku Jiyuugyou!?
(息子は㋮のつく自由業!?)
|| My Son is in Ma!Freelance Work!? || ISBN 978-4044452124 || Abril 2004
|| [[Image:KKMGaiden02cover.jpg|150px]]
|-
|| 03 || Kyou Kara MAou!?
(今日から㋮王!?)
|| Starting Today I'm the Ma!King!? || ISBN 978-4049007824 (Kumahachi Special)
ISBN 978-4044452179 (normal version)
|| Noviembre 14, 2006 (Kumahachi Special)
Noviembre 30, 2006 (normal version)
|| [[Image:KKMGaiden03cover2.jpg|150px]]
|-
|| 04 || Shin MAkoku Yori Ai wo Komete
(眞㋮国より愛をこめて)
|| From the Ma!Kingdom, With Love || ISBN 978-4044452193 || Julio 2008
|| [[Image:KKMGaiden04cover.jpg|150px]]
|-
|}

===Omnibus Re-release===
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Novel !! Original title !! Translated title !! ISBN !! Date of publishing !! Cover
|-
|| 01 || Kyou Kara Maou! Maou Tanjou Hen
(今日からマ王! 魔王誕生編)
|| x || ISBN 978-4041007396 || Marzo 2013
|| [[Image:KKMReco01.jpg|150px]]
|-
|| 02 || Kyou Kara Maou! Maou Houkou Hen
(今日からマ王! 魔王彷徨編)
|| x || ISBN 978-4041007785 || Abril 2013
|| [[Image:KKMReco02.jpg|150px]]
|-
|| 03 || Kyou Kara Maou! Chikyuu Kako Hen
(今日からマ王！地球過去編)
|| x || ISBN 978-4041009482 || Julio 2013
|| [[Image:KKMReco03.jpg|150px]]
|-
|| 04 || Kyou Kara Maou! Caloria Hen
(今日からマ王！カロリア編)
|| x || ISBN 978-4041011546 || Diciembre 2013
|| [[Image:KKMReco04.jpg|150px]]
|-
|| 05 || Kyou Kara Maou! Caloria Hen II
(今日からマ王！カロリア編 II)
|| x || ISBN 978-4041011782 || Enero 2014
|| [[Image:KKMReco05.jpg|150px]]
|-
|}

==Pages==
*[http://kyoukaramaou.wikia.com/wiki/Media Kyou Kara Maou! Wikia]
*[http://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E3%81%BE%E3%82%8B%E3%83%9E%E3%82%B7%E3%83%AA%E3%83%BC%E3%82%BA Japanese Wiki] (Maru-Ma Series)
*[http://redglassesgirl-maruma.tumblr.com/ Tumblr dedicated to Maru-MA | Kyou Kara Maou]
*[http://pdk.broken-sunshine.net/ Maru-MA Scans]
*[http://www.mangahere.co/manga/kyou_kara_maou/ Manga online]

[[Category:Light novel (English)]]
[[Category:Tomo Takabayashio]]

MaruMA:SideStory01:Chapter 4

2015-02-27T13:37:50Z

Alaxxis Sade:

===Chapter 4 - East Station===

Back then they’d forgotten to take the weather into account.

Regent walks back from the hall angrily. Although they had booked the earliest flight last night, but now they’ve been waiting fruitlessly for four hours.

“I heard they’re aborting the flight.”

“What, just because the weather’s like this?!”

April, who was sitting on the bench and staring at her toes, stands up when she hears the response from the airport management, and at the same time she’s surprised at Regent’s expression of uncharacteristic panic.

Although the sky is full of grey clouds, the weather in Berlin is like that all-year long. If the plane doesn’t fly even on days without rain and thunder, then the days they can actually take off could probably be counted on one hand.

“There was a lady at the boarding counter just now who told me, as the saying goes, ‘spring is like a stepfather’s expression’. Although it’s useless to scold her, but I really wanted to ask if she was purposely making fun of me.”

“Eh~”

DT, putting the one large, one small luggage bags down by his feet, suddenly starts yelling.

“So stepfathers in Germany have a lot of mood swings!”

“…You really are, very carefree, aren’t you.”

Regent picks up his own luggage and extends his hand to April, maybe assuming she needs support to get up. She holds the doctor’s hand lightly, but she doesn’t borrow his strength. She always feels that this degree of injury, and one caused by her own foolishness at that, shouldn’t deserve someone else’s help all the time.

Speaking of which, how could she have done something so idiotic? Just thinking about it makes her feels so embarrassed her face turns red.

“Guess we have no choice, let’s take the train then. Though it will take three times as long, but just wasting about here won’t change the fact that the plane’s not taking off. Besides, we were one step behind the others to start with, so we can’t afford to wait until tomorrow.”

“I thought we can’t get there directly by train?”

“It’s the same if we take the air route, we still have to have the train and a car from Frankfurt. It’d be great if this trip went smoothly, but in any case the worst thing that could happen is we would have to buy a vehicle from a normal family.”

April imagines the image of them riding a horse on the mountain road, feeling like she wants to hold her head and weep. Hoofed animals gave her bad memories once. About five years ago, she was puked on all over by a crazy camel in Egypt…

“…It feels like someone is deliberately blocking us.”

Sitting in the cab, Regent mutters so, and April’s thoughts are suddenly pulled back to the present.

“About that, it’s hardly surprising that I would suspect that. Because the domestic flight to Frankfurt was aborted, but the international flight to Paris went on as usual.”

The only one who knows they’re leaving Berlin should be that Herm ‘Babysitter’ Coruna, but that annoying officer shouldn’t technically know where they’re going. After seeing Regent’s outstanding performance last night, Coruna should assume that he would return to his home country in glory. Because he had desperately bid for a ton of paintings, so much so that even the German auctioneer took a jab at him, saying that he was the destructive collector of the night.

“But every item’s price is really different from it should be, all so ridiculously low.”

Grandmother had taken April to many such events in the past, but she’s never seen such a depressing auction before. Not only did the auctioneer look on foreign bidders, he would even put down the item on auction.

“That really isn’t a smart thing to do. Since they want to earn some extra income, they should praise the items properly to raise the price, it doesn’t matter even if they don’t mean it. But I bid on so many items, from my perspective, it’s only natural that I would want to get home as soon as I can, to receive my reward from my boss.”

“If Coruna knew our true motive, that’d be another matter… Could it be?” April stares at her partner.

“W-what?” The Asian’s straight black hair is billowing up and down.

“DT, you didn’t tell that guy, right?”

“I d-d-d-didn’t, I didn’t, I didn’t, I didn’t, I didn’t!”

“But it seemed to me that yesterday you two got along very well.”

“That’s because you forced me!”

“What did I force you to do?”

“You wanted me to be alone with that dangerous man… Mn…”

Sitting in the front passenger seat, Regent chuckles.

“But we hadn’t decided our destination yesterday afternoon, remember!”

“That’s right, April! Don’t simply say things you don’t know!”

“Then why are you so nervous?”

Actually, the truly nervous one is April, because only she knows the answer.

It’s Deuter.

Rikhiart Deuter knows that their real target isn’t any painting, but the seal of great power, ‘the Mirror’s Depth’. Even though he doesn’t know where we’re headed next, he should still know that as long as we haven’t found the Box and taken it with us, we won’t return to our home country.

At that moment she remembers the feeling on her fingertips back then. That wasn’t plaster, metal or rubber, it felt like a special layer of wax on an animal hide.

Why would he want to deceive the SS he belonged to, and steal that ‘arm’?

“You’re thinking about that officer, aren’t you?”

“…Yeah, that’s right, I always found it strange. Why would the guy who stole the ‘arm’ threaten us in Boston? Think about it, no matter who has the Box, it has nothing to do with that guy, right?”

“About that, there are some things I haven’t explained to you yet, I’ll tell you slowly after we get on the train, by then we’ll have lots of time to talk. On the other hand, you finally called him ‘that guy’, I got a glance at him yesterday, and I thought you guys really got along, too! Didn’t think you disliked him that much--”

That’s because Regent only heard what April told him, so he doesn’t know what kind of a guy Deuter is. He’s expressionless, stuck-up, always thinking that’s he’s so special. Although he stubbornly refuses to believe in anyone else besides himself, he still makes the most basic mistakes like forgetting to plan his getaway. He’s at loggerheads with his own colleagues, but has no intention of making up with them. Always acting like a lone wolf, but tied down by such a nonsensical idea like his ‘ancestor’…

“When you put it like that, I just feel like the two of you are very similar.”

“Me?! Me and Richard?!”

“Richard?”

DT takes this chance to jab her properly.

“What’s this, you only know how to suspect others, but the one really getting along with him isn’t me, it’s you—”

“I’m just saying his name in an easier way!”

“Anyway, before we confirm that he’s not an enemy, we still have to keep our guards up. He may have long since guessed where we’re going, but speaking of where we’re going, is the Box really headed for A… really headed for that place? I’m not too sure myself.”

To prevent the taxi driver from understanding their conversation, the three of them continue conversing in English, but they still have to wary around German place names.

“It’s just that those people eager to open the Box… If they can decipher the words on the decorative parts, then they’d naturally lock down on our destination.”

“So what does it say on there?”

“No idea, since I never stayed in BC Babylon. Though perhaps it’s a record made to warn the world, by people who wanted to open the Box and that door, only to suffer the consequences for it.”

Regent glances at his watch, it’s almost departure time for the train headed to Frankfurt.

“But Bapu had long since deciphered part of it, the part that said the ‘Key’ is ‘pure water’.”

“Mn, I guess the rest of it might be some warning like ‘Don’t open the Box’or ‘Danger’, I hope the president’s men will go through that important part properly.”

“Pure water…”

April puts her pointer finger on her chin. What she imagines from those two words are springs, river, or melted snow, or maybe holy water in a silver goblet. Oh, yeah, Regent said this isn’t religious.

“Anyway, as long as you know the Box’s true qualities, there’s no need to specifically go decipher those words.”

Hearing the French doctor’s careless words, April grabs the leather passenger seat and says,

“Do you know?!”

“I do, but that memory is very blurred.”

“Then, you know what ‘pure water’ means, too?”

“Of course… Don’t look so determined to get to the bottom of the mystery like that! Look, your eyes are even shining… Okay, okay! I’ll tell you, I’ll tell you!”

Regent held up his hand in surrender, and then said one word.

“Blood.”

“…You said… Blood, whose blood? Since they call it ‘pure water’… Don’t tell me they want babies as live sacrifices? Not only is that really religious, it’s cultish!”

“For now, it’s no one’s blood, because it’s a child that doesn’t yet exist in this world. Please don’t ask me what that means. Hey!”

The taxi stops at a place a distance away from the train station. Since there are too many taxis and people around the station, they can’t get any closer.

Standing on the stone ground in the square in front of the station, are tons of people pushing to get out of Berlin.

After that calm Regent yells loudly at the lady behind the ticket counter several times, he finally gets to buy second-class tickets. According to the news he heard, now not only are all the domestic flights cancelled, even half of the international flights were aborted, so all the passengers who planned on taking the air route have flooded to the train station.

“Is that really the only reason?”

Forget the platform, even the café and bar are stuffed full of people, April looks over there, cocking her head in confusion. It’s hard to imagine that there are still so many people taking out their entire families on a non-holiday. Mothers hold babies in their arms, the older children are holding their little siblings’ hands; fathers carry all the luggage they can on their backs, and their arms are full of huge bags.

“It looks like everyone is going on a long holiday.”

“Although I’m not sure if they’re going on holiday or migrating, this is the first time I’ve seen such a chaotic train station.”

“Everyone just wants to escape from here, or get away from Germany as soon as possible, since there’re no flights for them, then the train will have to do. Even if the international flights from Berlin have been cancelled, maybe they can get onto a plane in Frankfurt.”

“Escape? Why would they want to escape from their own country? Don’t tell me they want to move to a colony?”

The Asian American can’t seem to figure out the reason.

They push aside the adults and children apologetically, moving towards the platform headed to Frankfurt. But maybe it’s the pressure of the crowd’s gaze, but the walk there feels longer than they thought.

“Damn, there’s no more time!”

Regent, who was leading, suddenly stops in his tracks, causing April to put unnecessary force on her foot, shooting a flare of pain from yesterday’s injury.

“Something happened?”

She looks past his shoulder, and sees that near the already chaotic entrance into the platform, there are several soldiers blocking passengers. They even want to check the children’s identities, investigating everybody with utmost caution. But the reason why the passengers haven’t rioted in dissatisfaction, is because those soldiers are all fully-armed.

And those people whose tickets were rejected and were forced backwards, are far more than those who actually successfully got onto the train. Those who had tickets but can’t get onboard, can only return to the line dejectedly.

“Why a customs check now, of all times?!”

“What is this? It looks like most people can’t get on, it can’t be that their passport are missing something…”

Just then, a black shadow flits into the corner of her vision. A tall man walks past the two lines, right up to the soldiers, it’s the SS uniform that she saw sway too much of yesterday, and there’s also the red ‘卐’ armband, and that shiny skull in the middle of the army hat.

He walks towards the soldiers who bowed to him, quick as springs, and then lightly raises the suitcase in his right hand for them to see. In the noisy crowd, his voice rings out crystal clear.

“I want to send this to Colonel Hughes.”

“Please pass, Lieutenant. I apologize for inconveniencing you… May I ask, is that an instrument?”

“Yes, he said he really wanted to play something for the president at the dinner party.”

She remember those shoulders, and the voice is really familiar too, and that suitcase that’s too long for even a trumpet, she knows all too well what’s inside.

Rikhiart Deuter walks past the passengers sitting in a row, headed for the very last cabin. The people watch the SS officer go with hatred and despair in their eyes.

“…April!”

“What is it?”

Regent grabs her upper arm.

“You didn’t hear me? Listen carefully! April, what we’re discussing now is, if the soldiers start picking a fight with us, forcing one of us three to stay behind, then whoever got past first has to get onto the train. The scheduled time for departure is already over, there’s no time to wait for all three of us to get on. As for the ones left behind, they have to catch up immediately, and we’ll meet at Ahrweiler. Understand? I don’t want to waste any more time, even if it’s only one of us, we have to go.”

“You’re right, I know.”

The panicked people start pushing each other around in line, and in no time at all the three of them are separated. Just as they start lining up in order again, the train starts spouting steam. Unsurprising, since departure time was long past.

She holds onto her luggage tightly, holding out her open passport to the soldier. The young man, barely twenty, is evidently flustered by this unfamiliar ID, and tells the man in the next line, probably his superior officer, “This is my first time seeing an American passport.” But maybe because the situation on the other side is a mess too, so he doesn’t even bother to look around.

“Little boy, really, where are your eyes? This is a bona fide passport, you know—If you don’t let me through now, I’ll kick you down, then force my way through, okay--?”

She smiles gracefully, and mumbles in English.

And in the line in front of them, DT has been blocked by an old soldier too. Just as she’s trying to check if Regent has gotten through and turns around, she sees that there’s one more person before his turn. The doctor frowns, ‘tsk’ing his tongue. The train horn blares again, and the train starts moving slowly.

This way, none of them will get to Frankfurt.

Just as she’s moving her painful right foot backwards, and getting ready to kick out the young soldier—

“Let me onboard!”

A panicked middle-aged man pushes aside the customs officer and runs forth.

“Let me onboard! My relatives are waiting for me in Kassel!”

That tragic yell is like a trigger, causing people to start rioting. April is continuously pushed forward, until she nearly falls forth. But then the young soldier instinctively steps aside, causing her to lose her balance, and she falls flat on her face onto the cold floor.

Right now, there’s no one on either side of her, because she has been pushed out of the line.

“What are you kidding? This is a genuine American passport!”

Someone starts yelling in her familiar English, DT grabs an old soldier at precisely the best moment.

“Look closely, this is the signature from one of the bigwigs in our country! If you think this is fake then why don’t you call up our president, he will definitely send a line over to that Little Mustache of yours to show concern!”

He obviously knows that messing around like this won’t help, but he still spouts such nonsense. April resists the pain in her foot and stands back up, then this time Regent starts shouting in French. At first she thought he was scolding someone viciously, then he actually starts reading out the human rights. In between his words he adds a quick line, and her feet rush forward with that signal.

“Go!”

April heads for the moving train steps without even looking back, it’d be good enough if she could just grab that red handrail.

By now the soldiers caught in the riot have started firing, two bullets graze past her left foot. The man behind her who also wants to catch the train instinctively falls backwards, and the woman diagonally behind also falls to her knees, giving up.

I can’t stop, now isn’t the time to put my hands up and surrender.

Although there’s a hot breeze brushing past her face, there’s no time to consider what that was. Several gunshots chase after her, but she keeps on telling herself, ‘It won’t hit.’

April desperately stretches out her right fingers, trying to grab the red handrails, but when she’s just one step away, the train starts spewing steam and gaining speed.

She can’t reach!

In that second when she feels despair and looks down, she suddenly realizes that the red handrail has disappeared from her sight.

Soon the pain will come back, and then she really won’t be able to run.

“Graves!”

She instinctively raises her head, there’s someone yanking open the door to the last cabin.

Than man wearing that familiar black uniform, forcefully pulls off his white gloves, and bends his body out of the cabin.

“Give me your hand!”

“Richard?!”

“I’m not called Richard… Why are we still talking about that now?!”

Maybe it’s because they saw the officer, so the people behind stop shooting.

April grabs Rikhiart Deuter’s hand.

It feels different from that arm.

It’s warm.

MaruMA:SideStory01:Chapter 4

2015-02-27T13:36:58Z

Alaxxis Sade: Created page with "===Chapter 4 - East Station=== Back then they’d forgotten to take the weather into account. Regent walks back from the hall angrily. Although they had booked the earlie..."

MaruMA:SideStory01:Chapter 3

2015-02-27T13:31:06Z

Alaxxis Sade: Created page with "===Chapter 3 Berlin=== The male receptionist has a mustache that looks like it’s been drawn on with a brush, his black hair combed immaculately backwards, while his face s..."

===Chapter 3 Berlin===

The male receptionist has a mustache that looks like it’s been drawn on with a brush, his black hair combed immaculately backwards, while his face shines as though it’s been covered with clear glue.

“I want to change hotels, please help me carry my luggage.”

“Very well, may I ask where you want to send it to?”

Even though the customer names a hotel that’s completely different in style, he’s not at all surprised.

“I hope you won’t misunderstand, I’m not unsatisfied with the service here, it’s just that I… don’t like that.”

Straight up the front of the large hall decorated with yellow flowers and lighting, there’s a huge ‘卐’ hanging there. Soldiers that ruin her mood are walking all over as though they own the place, and that irritates her to no end.

“And this hotel is so beautiful too, what a pity.”

The other person just smiles silently, but deep in his heart he agrees with her opinion.

“Will you be attending the auction?”

“Of course I will, it’s for that reason I’m here in Berlin.”

Revisiting Germany after three years, it feels like the atmosphere is filled with tension. There’s nothing on the road but green military vehicles, and pedestrians skirt around them. The soldiers on the road are exceptionally many, even children are wearing similarly colored clothes.

And, the ‘卐’ badge is hanging everywhere she goes.

“Actually, isn’t it okay if you just treat it as the Buddhist sign?”

“You really are very easygoing.”

“…What, by that do you mean you’re looking on me, an adult? You’re really very uncute!”

“Just standing and watching as the mastermind escape from right in front of you, does that count as an adult?”

DT’s expression looks like he’s choking on a dumpling, while his mouth repeats excuses. The chin that was beaten up four days ago still has a huge Sa***pas(1) on it.

After Edith rested for two days, and recovered her health, the whole party followed her on a flight back to France, and then sent her back to her daughter and son-in-law’s side before taking the land route into Germany. Of course, the single person rooms on the trains are more comfortable than the seats on a plane, and the baggage check isn’t so stringent either.

But that’s not the only reason they chose the land route. Because she needs time to slowly think, without being disturbed by the neighboring passengers and the airplane crew.

They want to snatch a wooden box with great power that does not belong in this world from enemy hands, and of all the chances, their enemy is Germany, the country with the dictator. Although Bob said there would be some locals helping, but with so few people, how can they go against the Nazis?

Her dark brown fringe is plastered to the glass window, and she sighs without the other two hearing. There’s no way she will let DT and Regent see such a discouraged April Graves.

The European spring scenery outside the window is really beautiful, just like in the movies and albums, and not dull in the slightest. Especially those old castles surrounded by greenery such as mountain forests, that’s something you’ll never see in America.

But they have to complete the mission before they can enjoy the pleasure of a vacation, and experience the foreign atmosphere.

Since the picture is in black and white, she can’t see the actual color, but the patterns on the side and the decorations that seem to have been added on later, look very similar to something she saw before.

That’s the box that spewed blue flames on the day Grandmother died.

“I say, DT, do you think Grandmother is really dead?”

She is careful not to let the coffee spill, then she asks her partner, who’s falling asleep.

“…Mn? You mean Hazel? Why would you ask so suddenly?”

Asking him is a waste of breath.

As for Henry Regent, reading the German papers, his head is bowed as he says,

“Although I didn’t attend the funeral, I did hear that the old mansion caught on fire.”

“That’s right, it was bought just last year. Seems like a building from the Civil War area, Grandmother really liked it.”

“I heard Bob mention that… It’s such a pity, that her body was never found.”

“That’s right, because everything was burnt down completely, and I mean everything. Put that with the too-high temperature, and the house, furniture and body were all melted into one clump, maybe even with the box that I saw. But can this sort of thing really happen? It wasn’t a black powder warehouse, or a factory, it was just a very normal fire! How can it burn until even the hair and bones disappeared?”

April moves her gaze away from the photograph, and looks at the green scenery and goatherds flying past.

“Do you think such a thing can happen?”

“Stop that, when you say it like that, Hazel won’t be able to gain enlightenment in peace--”

“…That’s true, maybe.”

Although she never mentions her grandmother’s cause of death again, but whenever she looks at her black-and-white photo, April will remember that nightmarish scene.

“What are these words and patterns carved into the decorative part here?”

“Mn—When I saw it there weren’t these decorations, they were probably added on afterwards. Forgetting the words for now, this beast looks a lot like Mr Bapu’s investigation target, Ishtar’s lion(2)!”

“Isn’t that from BC?”

“That’s right.”

“How is that possible! There’s no way a wooden box from BC can stay intact until now, but if it was stone or bronze, then that’s another matter, of course.”

Regent folds the paper into four, and tosses it onto the empty seat beside him. There are only the three of them in the train coach at night, so there’s still some space to spare.

“If there were preservation measures taken, then it’s not impossible, though it’s eighty per cent likely that it was copied on later. Only those words carved on the edges, it looks a lot like Greek. Even if it’s not exactly the same, at the very least it’s related.”

“And Mr Bapu had deciphered this too… The door shall open for pure water, only that can open… When they say ‘pure water’, it shouldn’t mean holy water, right? Or maybe some special seawater from somewhere? Or some secret river or lake…”

“That’s not important.”

Regent uses a rare tone of forcefulness, cutting her off. April stares at him, feeling a bit weird, and she ends up attracted to the black iris behind those lenses. A shudder runs down her spine.

That’s her first time noticing that this man’s eyes are not like most people’s. There are plenty of people of Earth with black hair and eyes, such as Asians like DT and Kou Li and almost all Africans are like that, but though they’re called black, upon closer inspection they’re actually mixed with dark brown and grey.

But his are different, they’re completely and utterly black.

“W-why… Sorry, my throat’s a little uncomfortable.”

Trying to hide the shock in her heart, April clears her throat before asking,

“‘That’s not important’? Why would you say that? The rights to the Box belong to me now, right, and isn’t it natural for the owner to know what it is?”

The French doctor immediately returns to him calm and composed tone, continuing as though preaching,

“The person who found it was indeed Hazel, and her heir is April, yes. As long as no country or organization insist that it’s their cultural heritage, then on paper, you’re the owner. The problem now is there’s no way to determine if you having it is the best option. Think about it, even the person who discovered ruins, may not necessarily be the rightful owner.”

“Are you saying Grandmother is nothing but a robber?”

“How could I! Hazel was an impressive woman, she never planned on using the Box for anything unscrupulous. Back then there were quite a few people who wanted it, they were probably more than willing to pay for it. But Hazel Graves didn’t use it to earn a fortune. She refused to hand such strength over to any one country or organization, and she didn’t even reveal her contributions to the world, instead she secretly handed the Box over to Mr Bapu, in the hopes of discovering its secrets.”

The sleeping DT’s head is sure shaking violently, and his mouth is wide open in an unseemly manner.

“I wish to do that too.”

“No.”

Regent shakes his head dejectedly, and then pushes his glasses upwards with his pointer finger.

“Since ambitious people already know of its existence, then this time we can’t handle it that way anymore, no matter what we must prevent this from happening. We have to grab the Box and Key from the Nazis before they put it to use, and bury it somewhere safe as soon as possible, to prevent it from falling into any ambitious hands… Please promise me, April. If we successfully get ‘The Mirror’s Depth’, I hope you will bury it where no one can find it.”

“But Regent…”

“That’s something humans must never touch.”

That line is exactly like Grandmother’s dying words.

Persuaded by the agitated French doctor, April can only nod her head in agreement. Even it was her normally, she would surely fight back fiercely. Her personality just happens to be the type that if someone forces her to go east, she would go west for the hell of it. But today she turned into an obedient April Graves, something even she can’t imagine.

But—

“Why do I feel that your words make sense?”

“You think I make sense? Maybe it’s because I’m desperately trying to convince you?”

The train slowly approaches the tall roof made of metal wires woven into a web.

“Because I’m desperately trying to convince you to believe me, no, I have no other choice but to make you believe me, because this is all real, all of it is the truth. Deep inside, you’re suspecting why I have this knowledge, right? Maybe you won’t believe me… But actually, I… April, I…”

Just then, the train starts braking, the brakes and the rails rubbing against each other. Following the screeching sounds, the train slides into the station. Regent smiles cynically at himself, and pulls apart the bright curtains on the glass window.

When the party is getting into the cab sent there by the hotel, they see a black car forcing the white car backwards, and stopping in front of them. DT mumbles happily,

“Whoaa—We’re pretty welcomed here, it’s a white Benz fighting a black Benz!”

“Actually it doesn’t matter what type of car the cab is.”

At that moment the door to the black Benz is opened, and another man in a black army uniform steps out, while some of the people who were originally on the sidewalk lower their heads and avoid his gaze. He readjusts the skull badge on his hat, and curls his lips upwards as he says to April,

“Young miss, where are you headed?”

“…We plan to change hotels.”

“Oh~ Why is that?”

The soldier who shrugs exaggeratedly has a red arm badge with the ‘卐’ sign on his left arm, and that golden hair tucked behind his ear shines in the sunlight. From the way he smiles superficially, it's obvious to see he’s happily taunting these foreigners.

“That is Berlin’s highest quality hotel. Even the President believes that it can satisfy a noble lady from the USA, like you. Ah, however…”

Those blue eyes, filled with a sense of superiority, glance once at the Asian American.

“…Your comrade might have a less comfortable time staying there.”

“That should have nothing to do with you, right?”

“How can you say so, Frau Graves. After all, for the extent of your stay in Germany, I am under orders to take care of your daily needs. Right, please get onto the car! Wherever you want to go, I’ll send you there. Goodness, what’s wrong with that Frenchman? His movements are just like our local soccer scene, with no absolutely laws to speak of.”

“According to Regent, the soccer in this country knows only how to defend, and is no fun to watch at all, even boring sometimes. He even said, although German soccer is really not that good, but unless you’ve reincarnated a couple times, you won’t understand it.”

Feeling impatient with the words that sound respectful but are in fact really rude, April ducks past the Benz and continues walking forward.

“If you like invigilating us so much, then go ahead, so it turns out the infamous SS are pretty free in the daytime too.”

“There’s no such thing!”

The car keeps up to her speed, following from behind, while the man strides around April to face her head-on, blocking her way.

“Ensuring that the auctions runs smoothly, is an important mission for us officers of the Cultural Division, and so honorable guests from far away like Young Miss must be treated as perfectly as we possibly can…”

“If you still won’t get out of my way, I’ll make all your male characteristics disappear, you know! Oh, dear! So sorry, were my words just now too low-class? It’s just that my German isn’t that good.”

“Please don’t say so. Your German is impeccable! Only you have some uneducated commoner’s accent, perhaps because you chose the wrong teacher.”

Don’t tell me this type of person can only talk cynically?

This man who followed them from the moment they got off the train, is an SS lieutenant around thirty-years-old. To April, he doesn’t deserve to stand on top of the crowds yet, but if you just look at his appearance, it’s not hard to understand how he climbed to so high a position despite his youth.

Herm Coruna is a classic German, and he has Hitler’s favorite superior genes. There’s probably no one more suited to a SS uniform than him! When he stood on the train platform and smiled confidently, April immediately despised him.

The three of them became VIPs at the art auction held in Berlin. This auction, meant for auctioning off the paintings and other things the Nazis have been collecting, has already been held several times this year. There are many guests from abroad, too, so this is the most logical excuse to enter the borders. Truth is, Regent has some documents from Bob too, who hopes to save some other exploited works.

When the party walked down the train stairs holding their lightest luggage, this blonde-haired green-eyed young man was already waiting for them with a smile. He says Bob’s rare surname, and then holds out his right hand, saying, “You are the representatives, yes?” But he only shook Regent and April’s hands, while he arrogantly pretended not to notice DT, the easterner.

“Glad to meet you, Frau Graves. I am Lieutenant Herm Coruna from the Cultural Division. It may a little late to say this, but we deeply regret your grandmother’s passing. Please do not be too sorrowful, she once sponsored the building of the large church…”

“Heavens, that’s ancient history from two years ago, thank you for remembering it.

Coruna’s brow creases slightly, but he immediately reverts to his relaxed smile. Apparently his job was to greet the foreign guests over the course of the auction, but the truth is his main duty is to watch them. Looks like the three of them are the last set of guests joining tonight’s party.

“Frau Graves, this way please, we have prepared a car for you.”

DT says in a small voice, uneasily,

“Hey, did you use an alias?”

“No.”

“Then why does that guy keep calling you ‘Frau, Frau’(3)?”

DT doesn’t speak a word of German.

“But Chinese letters don’t trouble me!”

That’s nothing to be proud of.

But from this they can tell that the annoying watchman has, to some extent, some understanding of English. Although he can understand perfectly pronounced English, he can’t keep up when it comes to dialects or if they speak too fast, especially some Chinese- or French-mixed whispers. From the moment they were brought to a hotel near Bradenburg, they had the feeling of being watched.

Regent said he wanted to look for his friends to get some intel, and he seems to have eluded the watchman, but April and the others, who felt uncomfortable there and decided to change locations, were unfortunately caught in the act by Coruna.

When they push past the crowd ahead and move forward, the SS lieutenant chats to them as he catches up. As for the passersby who bump against him, all of them lower their heads and frown, never meeting his gaze.

“Oh, dear~ I didn’t think your companion would be an Asian, how special, the more I see him the harder it is to believe that he’s in the same species as us! We plan to open a large-scale cultural museum in Dahlem, maybe we should have him tie his hair into knot and stand there as an exhibit, so everyone else can enjoy the sight.”

DT, who doesn’t understand German, looks at Coruna sideways, asking in a small voice. The aura the other man is giving him makes him feel slightly uncomfortable.

“What’s that guy saying? And he’s looking at me all deviously too.”

“He says you’re very mesmerizing, and keeps praising you too.”

“Walei—W-w-w-w-what is that! So disgusting~”

“Looks like he’s finally found his dream lover, I think he prefers men over women, y’know.”

“Damn--!”

DT’s expression looks like he’s drunk vinegar, and then he puts his palms together, pleading solemnly.

“April, I beg you, please explain it clearly to him for me! Tell him I have a beautiful wife at home, and I’m lucky enough to be becoming a father soon.”

The man who mistook DT for a Japanese, seems even more interested after seeing him in a pleading pose.

“What is he saying?”

“He’s begging me to never tell you that he’s better with the ladies than you are, because he doesn’t want you to feel unhappy.”

“What?”

“Maybe you German can’t imagine it, but in New York there was once a shootout between the gangs over him. Because the mob boss’ daughter and mistress fell head over heels in love with him at the same time. Oh, yeah, they just happened to look just like you, they had shiny blonde hair and buff bodies too. Truth be told, it’s really very weird, ladies like that often automatically chase after him.”

“…Ladies like that…”

The lieutenant holds his chin as he contemplates, but before long he’s back to his cheerful mood.

There’s no way they can do anything with a stalker on their tails, so they must quickly get rid of him, and collect more intel.

“DT, you be the bait and lead him away!”

“I don’t wanna, why must it be me?”

“Because he thinks you’re mesmerizing, and he really admires you! As long as I’m with you, he’ll definitely stick to me like glue.”

“Stop kidding! If that happens, one wrong move and I’ll fall into his clutches! And then who knows what’ll happen to my modesty?”

“If that happens, then you might as well give up, and wait to be put up on display at a cultural museum, so that the people can enjoy you.”

And he has to tie his hair into a knot, too.

“Also, you force me to the Nazis, then where are you going, and to do what? If you’re running away on your own to eat some delicacy, this time I’ll definitely break with you!”

“I want to go see the lions, sheesh!”

“Lions? Ah—That’s right! There seems to be a zoo near the station.”

Her partner sighs in defeat, and walks over the Benz approaching slowly. He puts his hand on the passenger seat door handle, using the tone of an elementary school teacher to say,

“How are you? Thank you, I’m fine. I’m getting onto the car, do you want to get on too?”

“Yes, I do.”

Coruna understands these words, and he hurriedly helps April open the car door. After making sure she’s in the back seat, he enters from the other end. Just as he closes the car door, DT in front immediately gives the driver a kick, and takes the chance to kick him onto the road.

“Mister Customer—Where to--?”

April looks sideways at the panicked lieutenant and then quickly gets out of the car, while DT slams onto the Benz’ accelerator. In the backseat, Coruna seems to have done a front flip.

“Didn’t I tell you, Lietunant Herm Coruna. My partner really likes beautiful buff blonde ladies.”

At the very least, she will let him, in that certain period of time, experience communication between different cultures.

As for April, she jumps into the white Benz before the driver who was kicked down can get back onto his feet. This time she really did jump onto a taxi.

“To the museum!”

“Which museum?”

“Eh? The one with the lion!”

“Oh~ The lion, is it? That’s the oldest place in Germany. Did you know? That place was built by Friedrich Wilhelm IV.”

And then, the white Benz changes direction for an unknown reason.

There are indeed lions here. No, there are probably tigers and gorillas too.

Having been taken to the entrance of the zoo, April gets back into the back seat, she must tell the driver once again, that she wants to go to the opposite direction.

“…When did I say I wanted to go to the zoo?”

“But miss, weren’t you saying ‘lion, lion’ really agitatedly? I thought that you were a lion enthusiast, so I hit the gas and flew here.”

“I wanted to see the carvings on the Ishtar door! And then confirm the Babylonian writings!”

The gentle-faced driver says, “Then let’s get to the large church first.” Saying that, he passes by under the large door. Although it’s daytime on an average day, there’s no sense of liveliness on the streets at all. Not because the doors and windows on the buildings are closed, neither is it because there are no passersby on the street, but still there’s none of that atmosphere, of people enjoying their daily lives.

“It just feels like this country is even colder than before.”

“There’s no such thing. Not only are all the people united as one, whenever it comes to the parade every Sunday, the roads are filled with passionate citizens! Compared to not long ago when the economy was bad, everyone is filled with hope!”

“…Is that so?”

“That’s right, the paper flowers and petals people toss during the parades gather into mountains!”

Perhaps all she can say is that their values are different. In the eyes of an American, the women wearing dark clothes and walking on the roads with stiff expressions, as well as the children wearing small SIZE army uniforms with a ‘卐’ badge pinned somewhere or another on their bodies, these are all very strange sights.

And those soldiers, who are either enjoying their rare days off or simply walking on the road expressionlessly, she can’t tell which, they make her feel indescribably uneasy.

“Maybe I’m overthinking things… Wait a sec!”

Seeing the face of the person walking past the taxi, April moves her body on the seat in surprise. She desperately shirks her head under the window, looks like she wasn’t seen by the other party. He’s a soldier wearing a uniform, not expressionless but looking furious as he walks. He should be over 25 years old, right? If it weren’t for the wrinkles between his brows, he should look even younger.

Like Coruna, he is also a member of the SS. The full-black officer uniform and the contrasting white gloves, are especially piercing to the eyes. But compared to those two colors, there’s something that’s making April’s heart feel even tighter.

It’s that brown color.

“What’s the matter? Miss.”

If they suddenly slowed down, he might get suspicious, so the driver keeps his foot on the accelerator as he talks to his passenger at the back,

“No matter how cold-hearted the SS are, they still wouldn’t simply apprehend a foreign tourist, so you don’t have to hide your head so low! Or is he your long-lost lover?”

“No way!”

That is indeed the exact same pale brown.

That hair color is the same too, it changes to golden brown under the sunlight, but the most important thing is those eyes. Although all she got is a shocked glance both back then and just now, but that pale brown, and those unique, eye-catching silver-shining irises, have left a deep impression on her. There shouldn’t be a lot of people with those eyes.

It’s him.

She’s sure of it, it’s that man.

It’s that German, who paid that Asian trio and asked them to destroy Kou Li’s restaurant; it’s the man who attacked us to threaten Madam Bapu. Although there was an entire street between them, she would never mistake those eyes.

April bit her lips lightly. So he’s a Nazi, and an officer in the SS, too.

“Oh—He really is handsome, though he gives off an unapproachable aura. That sir over there is really popular in the nightclubs, but if he always has that look on his face, no woman will dare approach him… Eh? How rare!”

The talkative driver looks at the SS soldier walking into the distance from the rearview mirror, and then says in surprise.

“What?”

“Ah! Actually it’s nothing, I just felt that soldier is a bit different, like there’s something weird somewhere…”

He grabs the rearview mirror with his right hand, forcefully turning it to an angle where the customer can see, too.

“See that? You see, his hair is brown, isn’t it? Although it’s a bit far, but his eyes aren’t blue, are they? I thought that was a bit rare. After all, the SS directly under His Excellency the President are all blonde-haired and blue-eyed.”

“Since you mentioned it… It’s true.”

Although she really hates Herm Coruna, but his appearance as a German is really very perfect, with white skin, blue eyes, a straight nose and blonde hair that sparkles under the sun.

She’d brushed past some soldiers at the station and the hotel, too, but people without these characteristics were always wearing grey or green uniforms. The ones who could wear the black uniform and walk proudly on the street, were only a small portion of carefully chosen people.

If they were to follow that ridiculous, stupid rule, the in the whole Graves family only Dianne would qualify. Compared to the girl with honey-blonde hair, be it Papa, Mama, April, or even her amazing grandmother, Hazel Graves, all of them lose to her.

“Being able to get the acknowledgement of those older, more experienced superiors at his age, that’s really very rare, surely he must have some shocking special ability, or maybe he comes from some distinguished family.”

“That’s right, and he’s an idiotic young master too.”

Although her words are calm, April’s heart is beating especially fast. It was that man who defaced the restaurant, and forced us to hide under the table. All because he didn’t want Edith to get back the box, and didn’t want her to have a chance to discuss with Bob.

And he took the chance to scare DT and me too, so we would reject this case.

At that moment she suddenly feels all the blood rushing to her head, her face and ears reddening in fury.

Too bad for him, of all the people he had to mess with me! How dare he threaten me, April Graves.

April thinks, and even her ear lobes have probably gone scarlet. To make sure the driver doesn’t notice, when she feels the taxi shaking a bit as it turns left, she forces herself to ask calmly,

“Just wondering, where do you think that man is headed?”

“Uh—Since he’s walking in the same direction as us, perhaps he’s headed to the Bergammon Museum like you? If he didn’t turn here from that corner just now, then maybe he’s going to the large church to pray.”

“I just didn’t think that SS officers would be so interested in the arts.”

“If only he was really interested…”

Finally, before she can ask what he means by that, the taxi has already stopped on the gravel road. Right in front of her is a stern-looking building.

Seems like the lion is probably some treasure for the northern archeological museum, but apparently the Nazis changed its direction starting from this year, moving and getting rid of many art pieces, so no one has any idea what’s left.

April gets off the car slowly, turning around to look at the dusty road.

She considers what she should do now, and has already counted to five deep in her throat.

She had agreed to rendezvous with Regent at the auction that starts at eight, so she must investigate more clues about the Box’ decorative parts’ words and symbols before that.

Past the pillars spreading outwards like a pair of wings, she walks into the inner main hall illuminated by rays of light shining through the high window. It could be because the air conditioning isn’t working, because even though it’s spring, the air feels cold.

Coming to a large hall with a domed ceiling, there are many types of carvings arranged between the many upright pillars, but upon scrutinizing them one by one, anyone will notice that they’re mostly reproductions. Why on earth would they display reproductions? April is starting to get confused, so she hurriedly shakes her head.

Now is not the time to think of these things.

Technically she should head for the archeological museum in the north wing, and investigate the words carved on the side of the box, so why is she in the old museum in the south wing, holding her breath as she listens carefully to a certain man’s footsteps?

About twenty meters ahead, the man in the military uniform walks across the hall, heading for a path to the right. Although the other routes have Ancient Roman, Greek, Western Asia or similarly simple-to-understand signs in order, that path is the only one without an eye-catching sign. Which area does that exhibit belong to, then?

Seeing as the man’s silhouette will soon vanish, April immediately rums to the entrance. And she had long since taken off those high heels, which would not only make loud, alerting footsteps, but were also so high they made her very uncomfortable. Thankfully there aren’t any visitors here, if someone reported a tourist running around in silk stockings, she would definitely be thrown out of the museum.

She passes by the dark tunnel where the light from the ceiling window doesn’t reach. The exhibition room is bigger than April imagined, but right now she has no choice but to hide beside the stone statue. Because the target she is following is just standing before the glass cabinet in the middle of the room.

From where April is hiding, she can’t determine what’s displayed inside the cylindrical glass cabinet, but she can see the military man taking out a piece of paper that looks like his ID, trying to take away the thing in the glass case.

He has his hands on his hips, ordering the young staff member something. Maybe he can’t quite hide the impatience in his heart, because his tone has become more rough and violent too.

“I told you to get me the key now!”

“I just said, the professor passed away at the end of last year. That’s why the mayor ordered that the rights to all the collections were to be handed over to the vice curator, so I can’t hand it to you!”

The staff juts won’t give in no matter what, bravely facing the armed SS soldier.

“I heard that that’s the party’s principle, if I simply let you take away something precious, it will cause us a lot of trouble. Just like last time there was a large-scale moving of over a hundred pieces of art, that was forced on us without getting our consent… To this day, the government has yet to tell us what that batch of art was for and where they went. Although we can’t confirm that our research can bring any sort of benefit to the party…”

Looks like it’s not just works of art like drawings and carvings, the Nazis have collected all the research information in one place too. Although speaking of that, what on earth does that man want to take away? April carefully moves her body, trying to see what’s inside the glass case.

“Since you are Professor Baldwin’s student, you should at least know that that belongs to the Deuter family. I am Rikhiart(4) Deuter, I have all the legal rights to it, so technically I have the right to take it back.”

Now she finally knows the name of the man in the SS officer uniform… the suspect who destroyed Kou Li’s restaurant in Chinatown. Rikhiart Deuter is the man with pale brown eyes shining silver.

She repeats the name in her mouth, feeling pissed off, and there’s some contempt mixed in there too. German names are still so hard to pronounce, although they are easier than Dutch names, she’ll admit that much.

The bespectacled young staff member stammers,

“I did hear about that… I just didn’t think that Deuter’s descendants… would actually join the SS…”

“Even if I gave up on it, the main squad will still come for it, by then it’ll be too late if you panic. It’s all over if that falls into those people’s hands, you should be very clear how it’ll be used in that case! Alright, quickly hand the key over, open the door to the cabinet. If the main squad comes enquiring, you just have to say that you returned it to the owner and you’ll be fine. No, even if you tell them I snatched it away, it’s okay.”

“I can’t do it!”

The staff member stubbornly shakes his head in refusal. He raises his head to look at the man who calls himself Deuter, and even glances at the short sword and pistol attached to his waist, then he grips his hands tightly and withstands the pressure before him. He may be thinking that for daring to disobey an SS officer’s orders, it’s only natural even if he were shot to death right now.

April quietly reaches her hand into her shirt. The silver talisman that she got from Grandmother has the same temperature as her skin.

That staff member is a professional researcher. Disregarding his personal safety, he determinedly protects the historical artifacts. People who don’t respect art have no right to touch works of art.

April holds the silver weapon lightly and waits for the chance to strike. The exhibit must never fall into Nazi hands! If Grandmother were here, she would probably help that staff member too. Besides, Rikhiart Deuter turned her favorite Chinese restaurant into a wreck, she still has that score to settle with him.

“The German over there…”

She pops out from behind the stone statue, but only takes one step before she stops in spite of herself. Because Rikhiart Deuter is just grabbing a chair and smashing it with all his strength into the old cabinet.

The sounds of glass shattering, echoes throughout the previously silent museum.

“T-that… man…”

After cleaning off the remaining glass shards, Deuter swings the chair again.

April rushes over to him. Although her strides aren’t big, she has never hated a person so much. And it just so happens that in this emergency situation, she’s wearing a very feminine, but very inconvenient outfit. The long tight skirt that reaches beyond her knees forces her to run with little steps like a lady. If she doesn’t stop him as soon as possible, the exhibit will get damaged.

“Stop that right now!”

“Who’s there?”

Just as she raises the mini handgun, the man’s right hand slides to his waist, and with a speed that comes with practice he puts the black muzzle between her eyes.

The difference in height between the two is too big, April’s hand can’t even reach his forehead.

Those memorable brown eyes, are staring at her without hesitance. The will hidden in those irises, shines with a light different from the skull pinned on the middle of his hat.

“…So it’s just a brat?”

“Eighteen years old counts as a brat in Berlin, huh? I’ve seen children even younger than that, pretending to be you sad, idiotic soldiers and marching.”

A cold sweat has broken out on April’s back. If his pointer finger just twitches a little, she will immediately tell the world sayonara. Even so, she doesn’t stop spouting big words, so much so that even she feels she’s brave.

“Eighteen years old counts as a brat in whichever country.”

“But then who’s the one holding a dangerous item at the brat?”

His expression not changing in the slightest, Deuter decisively lowers his gun. It’s just that as soon as his previously stretched straight arm and shoulder relax, there’s immediately the deafening sound of an alarm going off. However, his left arm is still holding the chair leg. His cold and distant gaze moves away from April, and to the display cabinet he’s so concerned about.

April’s finger is still on the trigger.

“Stop! Or I’ll shoot! People who don’t understand the value of art have no right to touch them!”

But Deuter just ignores her warning, determinedly pulling the long exhibit out of the cabinet. It’s about 60 centimeters long, and at first she thought it was some thick stick or cylinder, but the front end seems to be a flattened sphere.

Turns out they’re half-curled up fingers. Looking at it, it should be the arm of a plaster statue.

Its color is very white, to be accurate, it’s a disgusting pale white.

“If you want to shoot then fore ahead, I won’t mind!”

“Don’t say that, I mind a lot. Listen carefully! Put that plaster statue back into the case now, things should always go back to where they belong. Trying to take away a work of art in broad daylight, people will say you’ve brave but brainless, you know!”

“Work of art?”

Deuter laughs for the first time, and it feels like he’s laughing at her.

“You said this is a work of art?”

“That’s right, otherwise what do you say it is? Don’t tell me you’re going to say it’s a giant white asparagus?”

“This is an arm.”

“That’s what I said! It’s part of a plaster statue…”

“Oh, this is not plaster, little miss. This is a bona fide human arm.”

The officer returns to his previous expressionlessness, and hands the pale ‘arm’ to her. The fingers just happen to be facing her, and it feels like they’re waving at her.

“You can feel it for yourself.”

April then assumes that he’s trying to distract her, in order to create a chance to escape, but then he doesn’t look nervous at all, as though he doesn’t mind being held at gunpoint.

“What is this, using an arm to trick children like this…”

“Since you’re an ambassador of justice who believes in protecting art, you should be able to tell right away if it’s plaster or not, right? Or are you so disgusted that you don’t dare to touch it?”

Feeling the blood rush right to her temples, April throws caution to the winds and reaches out her left hand, using her finger to touch that arm’s fingers. On one end is her own clammy finger, on the other is the supposedly man-made pure white fingers.

“Ah!”

Not just the front end, she even slides her hand to the half-hidden palm, and the wrist with even the veins simulated.

It’s smooth and hard, but it still has a bit of springiness, so she can be sure that it’s neither wood nor stone, and this cold feeling is like fat without blood circulation, so it’s hard to imagine that it’s made of rubber.

“…It’s wax?”

“Didn’t I already tell you? This isn’t man-made, it’s the arm of a human who died more than a hundred years ago.”

She instinctively pulls her hand back, but not out of fear upon finding out that it’s a body. She’s seen that kind of thing countless times before, be it smugglers who were shot full of holes and died on the spot, or colleagues who were blinded by their greed and fell into traps. She’s even seen grave robbers who were cursed and rotted until they were unrecognizable in front of everybody, though no one can be sure if it was really because of the curse anyway.

If it’s a body long since dead, then she’s seen countless mummies or skeletons lying in their coffins too.

It’s just that this part of the body has just been preserved too perfectly. Unless it was frozen in the south pole, otherwise a human body over a hundred years old can never survive in this form until now…

“How is this possible? Unless this is a preserved specimen?! But no, if it’s a specimen, the surface should be dry.”

“That’s why I wanted to borrow it from this museum, so I can solve this mystery!”

The staff member who was shocked into sitting on the floor helplessly by the duo’s rough behavior, says in a trembling voice,

“We were researching… exactly what kind of preservation it had been through, to survive so perfectly like this for several hundred years. Oh, God! Miss, please don’t shoot! It’s still okay if we’re lucky and you hit someone, but just thinking that the stray bullet might harm this precious specimen…”

She didn’t think that he considered the exhibit more important than his life, as expected of a scholar, worthy of her respect.

“I don’t care if you want to unravel whatever shocking secrets, but the most important thing is that it’s not misused.”

“That’s why! I’ll never hand it to you, an SS officer…!”

“It’s not like I voluntarily wear this uniform!”

Deuter immediately takes off his black uniform jacket, and wraps the pure white arm in it roughly. He glances at the staff member, sitting on the floor, and then turns around to head towards the entrance, completely ignoring April.

“Listen up, you, the army squadron who call themselves the Cultural Department will come any time now, the fastest if not today then tomorrow, you just tell them this arm was stolen, and if possible you will report to the police now so they can handle it.”

“What do you want it for?”

The bespectacled staff member interrupts him. But Rikhiart Deuter ignores his question, putting on his army hat properly and then preparing to leave.

“If by then the professor’s family, or you are suspected of hiding this arm, then you just say I did it, it’s okay.”

“How are you going to deal with it? Are you going to hand it over to the Nazis?”

“Me, hand it to them?”

The lieutenant again laughs self-condescendingly,

“The president might be very happy, but first I might die by my ancestor’s curse.”

“If you say that, then that is the treasure your ancestor left… Wait, what’s that sound?”

April is distracted mid-sentence by the sudden sound.

Over ten different sets of footsteps are coming from the other end of the hall. Deuter ‘tsk’s lightly, his hand also moving to the handgun on his waist.

“Why are they even earlier than I expected.”

He lightly raises his chin, signaling everyone to leave. The ‘main squad’ he was talking about is now jogging through the pillars in the large hall, coming their way. Seeing that the enemy will soon show up on the other end of the tunnel, the staff member makes an important decision, and stands up.

“Come with me.”

“You guys should leave quickly, there’s no need to get caught up in this meaningless conflict.”

“Lieutenant, no, Mr Deuter, please come over here. You two can leave through the back door.”

Those words take the man holding the arm completely by surprise, and in that split second he reveals his emotions on his face. The staff member goes around to the back of the glass case, stumbling, and there’s a little door the same color as the wall.

“This is a secret door, and you can take that with you. I’ll say it was stolen, taken away in the night, but I hope you will never hand the Key and the Box over to those people with bad intentions.”

Deuter nods his head in agreement, and then pushes open the door heading for the control room.

“Listen up, I’ll say it again. If you are suspected, tell them my name…”

“I won’t sell you out.”

The eyes behind those round and thick lenses narrow.

“Leave, quickly.”

There’s another door in the control room, which looks like it leads to the backyard. If they go past the office tables, they can use a crack a few centimeters large to peek outside.

“Relax, come on!”

Soldiers don’t seem to have this exit surrounded yet. The two give the budding grassy ground a sideways glance, and then go past the uneven backyard. Deuter holds the arm, wrapped up in his uniform, underneath his arm, and his right hand lingers around his waist, so he can draw his gun at any moment. As for his left hand, it’s holding April’s, pulling her along without hesitation according to his own speed. Since she doesn’t seem to be out of breath trying to keep up, Deuter forgot about that special bit of attention he should give to ladies.

“I think there’s no need for a gunfight, right?”

“It should be… Get down! Be careful not to get discovered!”

At the front entrance to the old museum, there are so many cars they’ve almost completely blocked the wide door out of sight, around a dozen of them. Soldiers in green uniforms scatter in all directions, looking bored, so though the scale is big, there’s not much of a sense of tension. Deuter mutters in a low voice,

“Looks like we need a car.”

“What?! Ah, sorry!”

Getting a glare from those unique eyes, April, who is crouching down, quickly covers her mouth. It’d be all over if they were discovered by those twenty-over soldiers, so their conversation naturally goes lower in volume.

“Y-you really planned on walking here and back?”

“I feel that was is more inconspicuous.”

“…How is that inconspicuous?! That’s more conspicuous, I didn’t think you operate without any plans~”

Though if he was someone who planned things before carrying them out, then he wouldn’t have grabbed the chair and destroyed the exhibit case, and he definitely wouldn’t have lost to a woman and a kid back when he attacked the restaurant.

“Geesh, you’re hopeless. Over here, come with me, I’ll let you hop into my car. Though you have to be mentally prepared for my sarcasm!”

The duo keep their bodies low and cross the tress, coming to a deserted gravel road connecting two buildings. The taxi is waiting on the side on April’s orders, slightly slanted on the side of the road, but there are two legs stretching out of the open car door.

In that second, April holds her breath.

“Surely not?”

Deuter comes up to her really quickly, and then gives the driver a slap without holding back.

“Ouch, ouch, that hurts like hell… What was that for, aren’t you going too far?”

“Thank goodness, you’re still alive! Since you’re still alive, send us back to Hotel Adlon.”

He gets into the car as he says that, and before the groggy driver has even started the engine, he has already closed the car door with a loud ‘pa’. The white Benz makes a reverse quite unlike a high class car would make, and drives away from the museum.

The two of them are plastered against the car windows, staring behind them in case someone comes chasing. Luckily, the one following closely behind them is a private vehicle, and there aren’t any military vehicles in sight. All the way until the moment they pass the university hostel, only then do the two passengers turn around, heave a deep sigh of relief, and sink deep into their seats.

If she wants to confirm it, she has to do it now.

“Hey, that pale arm…”

Deuter, who didn’t show much emotion at first, suddenly starts yelling nervously when his gaze goes downwards,

“What are you doing?!”

“Eh?! What?”

“I’m talking about your feet, your feet! Put on your shoes, quickly!”

She lowers her head and follows his pointed finger, looking at her feet, covered only with silk stockings and bleeding in several places. She had completely forgotten that she had taken off her shoes to hide her footsteps.

“Ah! God! What was I thinking! How could I step on crushed glass without wearing shoes, but then I don’t like wearing high heels… Y-you there, don’t misunderstand! This is my first time making this mistake.”

“Stop talking, just put on your shoes already! Don’t tell me you lose your shoes along the way?”

He mumbles, ‘Why do women like running bare-footed so much,’ as he gets ready to take off his own army boots.

But at that moment April quickly reaches her hand into her jacket, pulling out the high heels she’s so ill-used to wearing.

“You’re really naggy, you know! I don’t need you to be a busybody, I got my shoes with me! Ah—Really, it’s all because you force me to put on my shoes, my feet hurt even more now!”

“I was just wondering why the shape of your chest was so weird.”

“What—I didn’t think that someone who looks as scary as you is actually a pervert, I’ve really misjudged you. Why are men’s eyes always looking over there?”

“…Who asked it to be shoe-sole shaped, I think everyone would notice that. Ah, wait a sec! It’d be bad if there were still glass shards there.”

Having taken off the white gloves, his hands unhesitatingly grab her feet and lift them up.

“Stop! The friend that came with me is a doctor, I’ll just get him to help me treat it in a while!”

“But this way you can’t walk, can you?”

It seems like her joints have cramped up, April makes a short scream of pain.

“Hey, it’s all your fault for smashing the glass before getting to understand the situation! Otherwise I wouldn’t need to have stepped on it either!”

“That is indeed my fault.”

“It was all your fault. Wa—Stop, don’t touch it! I can’t stand you, you really like smashing glass, don’t you! And you’re not a little kid anymore, but you’re still so rash. If you really are dumb enough to think that you just have to break a few windows to make everyone listen to your every order, then you’re making a big mistake! Even I, April Graves, have a principle to not do something as petty as breaking win…Ow, ow.”

“April Graves?”

Her right foot is resting on Deuter’s knee, the handkerchief and white gloves used to bandage it are slowly being dyed red.

“You’re that Graves? The one the Jew called Bapu contacted to get back the Box…”

“That’s right, Ri… Ow, I bit my tongue. Richard Deuter, don’t tell me you never realized who I was all this time?!”

“How could I have realized, and my name isn’t Richard either.”

“What do you mean, ‘How could I have realized.’ No way, I don’t believe you! Didn’t we meet once before in Kou Li’s restaurant?”

“Although you say we met, but that was across an entire street. I didn’t have the luxury of looking closely at someone’s face, now, did I.”

“But I remember you clearly! Richard Deuter.”

“If so, then remember my name correctly! Don’t keep getting it wrong, it feels like you’re doing it on purpose. I’m not called Richard!”

The driver, who finally managed to clear his brain a little, looks into the rearview mirror as usual, and says casually,

“My two customers back there, can I ask you something?”

“What is it?”

“What now?!”

When the impatient duo replies at the same time suddenly, the man is shocked into shrinking into his shoulders.

“…So he really is your long lost lover, after all?”

Deuter let April hold on to his shoulder as they get off the taxi, looking at the front of the hotel with a frown,

“So you’re that guy’s guests?”

“That invigilator keeps sticking to us like a stalker, just looking at him is annoying. Do you know him?”

The shiny blonde-haired, black-uniformed man, Herm Coruna keeps repeating a strange action. One moment “he” would be climbing up and down the stone steps, and the next moment he would stick out his body and stare at the distance. There’s a black Benz waiting at the pick-up spot in front of the entrance, and DT is sitting on top of the bonnet.

The misunderstanding between the two seems to have been resolved.

“Hi, April!”

When DT sees his partner, he immediately starts waving happily and dragging out his sentence, “And I went all the way to the zoo, too~”

Coruna, on his way to confirm that his guest is safe and sound, nearly falls in his haste to get down the stairs. “That’s right, I was worried sick! Young Miss. I got your companion to tell me that you seem to have gone to the zoo… No, I asked him to tell me, and then I immediately rushed there by car, but…”

And the moment he recognizes the person standing next to her, his tone instantly takes on an obvious sense of superiority.

“Oh, dear, what a rare guest. Isn’t this Lieutenant Rikhiart Deuter?”

The two men are of equal rank, and similar age, but Coruna doesn’t seem to think much of the other man. This is the proper attitude towards the driver’s so-called ‘rare person’?

How pointless, what does hair color represent? Besides, men’s hair will all fall off eventually.

“Colonel Hughes is looking for you right now, Lieutenant… Did something happen to your uniform?”

His gaze moves to the shirt held under his arm. If the thing hidden inside is discovered, it’ll be bad.

“Because it got dir…”

“It was me, I splashed him with beer!”

Deuter, looking displeased, hasn’t even finished his sentence before April, leaning on the taxi, decides to butt in and give him an excuse.

“Who asked him to be so rude to me, so I just took a large mug of beer and poured it all over him.”

The blonde SS officer nods hugely three times, showing his absolute approval of this.

Although that being said, there’s another problem there, too.

“This young miss got lost, so I took her to the venue of the auction. After I asked her, she mentioned your honorable name, and I was even more certain this is the right place.”

“Oh~ Young Miss, it’s an honor that you still remember my name… Oh, dear, did you sprain your leg, perchance? How can this be, I’ll find you a doctor right away.”

“It was perhaps because she wore unsuitable shoes, so she got blisters. As for a doctor, it seems that her companion happens to be one, so you don’t have to waste your time. On that note, Coruna, it must be tough babysitting tourists.”

“She’s not a tourist, this young lady here is a VIP at the auction tonight. I am under orders to take care of them until they leave these borders.”

“So that they don’t get a chance to escape, is it?”

“I’m different front Lieutenant Deuter, who can’t go on any important missions.”

Oh, dear! These two don’t seem to get along at all. After all they’re wearing the uniform, even if it’s only on the surface, they should still pretend to be great friends.

Although the truth is she and DT are more or less the same, April is still thinking that secretly in her heart. Her companion, on the other hand, continues to sit on the bonnet, shaking his short legs,

“I say, April, did you see the gorilla? Did you? And who’s that man? Is it lover candidate number one you met on the road?”

The shoulder she’s holding onto twitches a little, it seems like Deuter can understand colloquial English very well too.

“Let me introduce you, DT, this here is Richard Deuter, a man who likes to smash glass more than he likes his three meals a day. The repair fees for the glass windows in Kou Li’s restaurant, you can get them from this SS lieutenant.”

“I accept your billing, but I’m not called Richard.”

The Asian, happy that he got to enjoy the sights at the zoo, shrugs as he says, “Anyway, that’s my wife’s shop.”

“April! Where on earth did you disappear to?!”

“Things got a bit complicated, Regent, and I got a lot of things I want to say and a lot of questions to ask, too.”

“Me too. Who was that officer talking to you just now?”

“Ah, yeah, yeah. This rude soldier here is…”

She sways left and right as she tries to look backwards, only to see the taxi carrying Deuter just about to leave. Holding the arm wrapped in the jacket tightly, he turns back for a glance from the passenger seat. The corners of his lips seem to lift a little as he smiles, it’ll probably be too late for her to catch him now.

“Did he send you back here?”

“No, I was the one who let him tag along.”

Henry Regent, who had rushed out of the hall, politely takes off his panama and holds it under his arm. As for his suit, you can’t quite say it has a gentlemanly feel to it, just looking at those wrinkles anyone can tell he just got off the train, and goodness knows where he walked here from, because even his leather shoes are covered with dust.

“I went to the coffee shop scholars and artists always gather in, gathering all sorts of info on the current situation. But those more mainstream artists were all either captured or escaped out of the country, even the paintings and poems on the walls were confiscated. What on earth is going on with this country?”

The French doctor heaves a lonely sigh, looking forlorn.

“That’s right, Regent, where’s the pivotal Box?”

“About that, according to the local black market traders, all that’s being shown here at the auction are a few sculptures, and everything else is paintings. I guess that the confiscated things are all temporarily gathered here, and their next destination will be determined after the auction… Considering that, the Box may have already been moved to somewhere else.”

“Somewhere else? Where could it be?”

“I think I know where, let’s leave first thing tomorrow morning, then. Eh, what happened to your foot?”

On the way up the stone steps, Regent helps support her as he continues talking to the two of them. April, on the other hand, feels rather guilty, because she wasn’t listening to half of the things he said.

“Since we’re only moving tomorrow morning, then let’s enjoy the experience of the auction tonight. Did you hear? There seems to be a Lucas Cranach piece on auction tonight! We should help Bob spend some of that money once in a while… April?”

“Eh? Sorry. What did you say we should make Bob do?”

Regent switches his doctor’s voice, asking the young patient concernedly,

“Look at your expression, does your foot hurt a lot?”

“Are you talking about me? Regent, what expression do I have now?”

“The expression of a stormy sky about to rain buckets.”

Perhaps.

What on earth has she accomplished today? Her companion was helping her collect intel at a celebrity gathering place, her partner even helped throw off the Nazi invigilator, and bought precious time. But she completely ignored what she was supposed to investigate, and instead she helped the man who should be their enemy. As a result, a precious collection piece was taken away, into the hands of the military with absolutely no appreciation for its artistic value.

And yet—

Taking a deep breath of the fresh air in the large hall; looking up at the red drapes with the ‘卐’ word; avoiding the busy at work, uniformed soldiers, April remembers that touch again.

What on earth is that arm?

Why is the person who took the arm, Rikhiart Deuter, the same man who threatened everybody in Boston?

“Did something happen to make you feel down? April, I can go to the auction myself! Tonight you just get some proper rest in the hotel room.”

April considers it seriously in her heart for five seconds, the she shakes her head and smiles helplessly. That gentle, friendly gentleman’s words, are only suited for a cute girl like Dianne.

“Thank you, Regent, but I think I’ll attend anyway. I want to see for myself, what atrocious acts that so-called Cultural Division will be up to.”

Right now there’s only enough time for her to make up for her failure.

1. ‘Salonpas’, a famous Japanese band-aid brand.

2. Ishtar is a famous Babylonian goddess, and her sign is the lion.

3. ‘Frau’ means ‘Miss’ in German.

4. His name is actually ‘Richard’, but pronounced in the German way. I’m using the pronunciation for his name whenever he uses it or it’s stated officially, to differentiate from the way April pronounces it.

MaruMA:Volume14:Prologue

2015-02-09T12:47:35Z

Alaxxis Sade: Created page with "===Prologue=== Junior, I have to explain this here, lest you misunderstand. Sunglasses are not for decoration."

===Prologue===

Junior, I have to explain this here, lest you misunderstand.

Sunglasses are not for decoration.

Maru-MA

2015-02-09T12:46:47Z

Alaxxis Sade: /* Volume 14 - The Sand is at the End of the Ma!Road! */

{{Status|Active}}

[[Image:CoverKyouKaraMaouTanjouHen01.jpg|300px|thumb|Kyou Kara MA Ou! Tanjou Hen 1 Cover]]

'''''Maru-MA''''' also known as The MA Series (㋮シリーズ) is a light novel series written by [[:Category:Tomo Takabayashi|Takabayashio Tomo]] and illustrated by Matsumoto Temari. The common name or community name of the series in english and spanish is Kyou Kara Maou. It's published by Kadokawa Shoten since 2000. There are currently 22 novels released. Between 2004-2009 was the series adapted into anime. The 117 episodes aired as ''Kyō kara Maō!'' (jp. 今日からマ王!) in Japan on NHK BS-2. There were two of three seasons released in english under the names Kyou Kara Maoh! and God(?), Save Our King!

== Story Synopsis ==
Yuri Shibuya was living a pretty normal life. That changed the day he was dunked into a toilet after an attempt to save a classmate from a gang of bullies. Instead of just getting a good soaking, he's pulled in. The next thing he knows, he's in a world that vaguely resembles medieval Europe. If that's not odd enough, he's told that he is to be the next Maoh,( Demon King ) just because he has black hair and black eyes. The Maoh is the King of the Mazoku ( Demon tribe ), who are coexisting not-so-peacefully with the humans in this world. Much to his subject's dismay, he's totally different from the rulers they're accustomed to. He's kind, considerate, a believer in justice, and not willing to use violence to solve conflicts. Not exactly someone they want running a country on the very brink of war. Now, Yuri has to deal with trying to become a good Maoh, while at the same time attempting to adapt to this land's customs and culture, all in a world where the tension between the humans and Mazoku is reaching its peak.

== Translation ==

=== [[MA Series:Registration Page|Registration]] ===

'''Translators are asked to [[MA Series:Registration Page|register]] for chapters they want to work on'''

===Format Standards===
'''Every Chapter (after editing) must conform to the general format guidelines.'''
*[[Format_guideline|General Format/Style Guideline]]
*[[MA Series:Names and Terminology Guideline|Project specific Guidelines: Names and Terminology]]

== Updates ==
*'''5 February 2015''' - Short Story 1 Prologue and Chapter 1
*'''30 January 2015''' - Volume 10 Short Story
*'''22 January 2015''' - Volume 10 Chapter 4~7
*'''13 January 2015''' - Volume 10 Chapter 1~3
*'''9 January 2015''' - Volume 9 completed
*'''23 December 2014''' - Volume 9 Chapter 6
*'''21 December 2014''' - Updated prologues for Volumes 11, 15 and 17.
*'''15 December 2014''' - Volume 9 Chapter 5
*'''12 December 2014''' - Volume 9 Chapter 4
*'''12 December 2014''' - Volume 9 Chapter 3
*'''2 October 2013''' - Apollo 00 by [http://otonashi-diva.livejournal.com/ Otonashi_diva]
*'''21 September 2013''' - Titles's translation by [http://otonashi-diva.livejournal.com/ Otonashi_diva]
*'''21 September 2013''' - Volume 4 Full Text by [http://otonashi-diva.livejournal.com/ Otonashi_diva]
*'''22 January 2012''' - Volume 1, Full Text uploaded.
*'''21 January 2012''' - Volume 8, Prologue + Chapter 1 + Chapter 2 added.
* '''21 January 2012''' - Novel 3 Full text uploaded.
* '''18 January 2012''' - Teaser Project started!

== MA Series ==

[[File:KKM1Cover.jpg|thumb]]
=== Volume 1 - Starting Today I'm in Ma!Freelance Work!! [[MaruMA:Volume 01|(Full text)]]===
*[[MaruMA:Volume01:Illustrations|Novel Illustrations]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume01:Character_Introduction|Character Introduction]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume01:Prologue|Prologue]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume01:Chapter_1|Chapter 1]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume01:Chapter_2|Chapter 2]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume01:Chapter_3|Chapter 3]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume01:Chapter_4|Chapter 4]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume01:Chapter_5|Chapter 5]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume01:Chapter_6|Chapter 6]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume01:Chapter_7|Chapter 7]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume01:Chapter_8|Chapter 8]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume01:Chapter_9|Chapter 9]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume01:Chapter_10|Chapter 10]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume01:Afterword|Afterword]]

=== Volume 2 - This Time it's the Ultimate Ma!Weapon! [http://www.asphodelshaven.com/translations/view/novel/kkm_02/all#cutid1 (Full Text) by AsphodelsHaven ]===

[[File:KKM3Cover.jpg|thumb]]

=== Volume 3 - Tonight is the Great Ma!Escape!!! [[MaruMA:Volume 03|(Full text)]] ===
*[[MaruMA:Volume03:Illustrations|Novel Illustrations]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume03:Prologue|Prologue]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume03:Chapter_1|Chapter 1]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume03:Chapter_2|Chapter 2]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume03:Chapter_3|Chapter 3]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume03:Chapter_4|Chapter 4]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume03:Chapter_5|Chapter 5]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume03:Chapter_6|Chapter 6]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume03:Chapter_7|Chapter 7]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume03:Chapter_8|Chapter 8]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume03:Chapter_9|Chapter 9]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume03:Chapter_10|Chapter 10]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume03:Chapter_11|Chapter 11]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume03:Chapter_12|Chapter 12]]

[[File:KKM4Cover.jpg|thumb]]

=== Volume 4 - Tomorrow a Ma!Wind Will Blow! ===
*[http://otonashi-diva.livejournal.com/2718.html Prologue and Chapter 1 by Otonashi_diva]
*[http://otonashi-diva.livejournal.com/3045.html Chapter 2 by Otonashi-diva]
*[http://otonashi-diva.livejournal.com/3077.html Chapter 3 by Otonashi_diva]
*[http://otonashi-diva.livejournal.com/3576.html Chapter 4 by Otonashi_diva]
*[http://otonashi-diva.livejournal.com/3676.html Chapter 5 by Otonashi_diva]
*[http://otonashi-diva.livejournal.com/4031.html Chapter 6 by Otonashi_diva]
*[http://otonashi-diva.livejournal.com/4301.html Chapter 7 by Otonashi_diva]
*[http://otonashi-diva.livejournal.com/4481.html Chapter 8 by Otonashi_diva]
*[http://otonashi-diva.livejournal.com/4790.html Chapter 9 by Otonashi_diva]
*[http://otonashi-diva.livejournal.com/5055.html Chapter 10 by Otonashi_diva]

[[File:KKMgaiden1cover.jpg|thumb]]

=== Short Stories Volume 1 - His Excellency and the Tosa Ma!Diary!? ===
*[[MaruMA:Gaiden01:Illustrations|Novel Illustrations]]
*[http://otonashi-diva.livejournal.com/8339.html Prologue by otonashi-diva]
*[http://otonashi-diva.livejournal.com/8807.html The Taming of the Bear - Day 1 by otonashi-diva]
*[http://otonashi-diva.livejournal.com/9053.html The Taming of the Bear - Day 2 by otonashi-diva]
*[http://otonashi-diva.livejournal.com/9642.html The Taming of the Bear - Day 3 by otonashi-diva]
*[http://otonashi-diva.livejournal.com/10744.html Romero & Argent Part 1 by otonashi-diva]
*[http://otonashi-diva.livejournal.com/10865.html Romero & Argent Part 2 by otonashi-diva]
*[http://otonashi-diva.livejournal.com/11259.html All's Well That Ends Well Part 1 by otonashi-diva]
*[http://otonashi-diva.livejournal.com/11299.html All's Well That Ends Well Part 2 by otonashi-diva]
*[http://otonashi-diva.livejournal.com/11550.html Epilogue]

[[File:KKM5Cover.jpg|thumb]]

=== Volume 5 - The Ma!Sun Will Definitely Rise! ===
*[[MaruMA:Volume05:Illustrations|Novel Illustrations]]
Translation completely done by Kannichtfranz.
*[http://kannnichtfranz.livejournal.com/232017.html PROLOGUE & Chapter 1 by kannnichtfranz]
*[http://kannnichtfranz.livejournal.com/232318.html Chapter 2 by kannnichtfranz]
*[http://kannnichtfranz.livejournal.com/232722.html Chapter 3 by kannnichtfranz]
*[http://kannnichtfranz.livejournal.com/233072.html Chapter 4 by kannnichtfranz]
*[http://kannnichtfranz.livejournal.com/233459.html Chapter 5 by kannnichtfranz]
*[http://kannnichtfranz.livejournal.com/233597.html Chapter 6 by kannnichtfranz]
*[http://kannnichtfranz.livejournal.com/234109.html Chapter 7 by kannnichtfranz]
*[http://kannnichtfranz.livejournal.com/234400.html Chapter 8 by kannnichtfranz]
*[http://kannnichtfranz.livejournal.com/234650.html Chapter 9 by kannnichtfranz]
*[http://kannnichtfranz.livejournal.com/234839.html Chapter 10 by kannnichtfranz]

[[File:KKM6Cover.jpg|thumb]]

=== Volume 6 - Someday in the Ma!Twilight! ===
*[[MaruMA:Volume06:Illustrations|Novel Illustrations]]
Translation by Kannichtfranz.
*[http://kannnichtfranz.livejournal.com/240669.html Prologue & Chapter 1 by kannnichtfranz]
*[http://kannnichtfranz.livejournal.com/241095.html Chapter 2 by kannnichtfranz]
*[http://kannnichtfranz.livejournal.com/241290.html Chapter 3 by kannnichtfranz]
*[http://kannnichtfranz.livejournal.com/243822.html Chapter 4 by kannnichtfranz]
*[http://kannnichtfranz.livejournal.com/244149.html Chapter 5 by kannnichtfranz]
*[http://otonashi-diva.livejournal.com/6036.html Chapter 6 by otonashi-diva]
*[http://otonashi-diva.livejournal.com/6189.html Chapter 7 by otonashi-diva]
*[http://otonashi-diva.livejournal.com/6468.html Chapter 8 by otonashi-diva]
*[http://otonashi-diva.livejournal.com/6976.html Chapter 9 by otonashi-diva]
*[http://otonashi-diva.livejournal.com/7219.html Chapter 10 by otonashi-diva]
*[http://otonashi-diva.livejournal.com/7581.html Chapter 11 by otonashi-diva]

[[File:KKM89Cover.jpg|thumb]]

=== Volume 7 - The Ma!Snow Dances in the Sky! ===
*[[MaruMA:Volume07:Illustrations|Novel Illustrations]]
[https://docs.google.com/View?docid=dd9f2j4p_4dj842w&pli=1 Full Translation by vivarina.]
*[http://kyou-kara-maou.livejournal.com/1163379.html#cutid1 Chapter 1 by vivarina]
*[http://kyou-kara-maou.livejournal.com/1167043.html#cutid1 Chapter 2 by vivarina]
*[http://kyou-kara-maou.livejournal.com/1171141.html#cutid1 Chapter 3 by vivarina]
*[http://otonashi-diva.livejournal.com/8190.html Chapter 4 by otonashi-diva]]
*[http://otonashi-diva.livejournal.com/8634.html Chapter 5 by otonashi-diva]
*[http://otonashi-diva.livejournal.com/9400.html Chapter 6 by otonashi-diva]
*[http://otonashi-diva.livejournal.com/9941.html Chapter 7 by otonashi-diva]
*[http://otonashi-diva.livejournal.com/10037.html Chapter 8 by otonashi-diva]
*[http://otonashi-diva.livejournal.com/10321.html Chapter 9 by otonashi diva]
*[https://docs.google.com/document/pub?id=1VP8yzjkY0i62pwcmSUj2uHeabpelL-aQTU77CeHSsVM#cutid1 Chapter 10]
*[https://docs.google.com/document/pub?id=13bWqLhPRQ5Te5K-_7kypSVv6SSejSR_ry-5vS0XLDyA#cutid1 Chapter 11]
*[https://docs.google.com/document/pub?id=1OHeGlD5ThrgwU4AVPSQnvN-RAsUaeQxSMNPTbV789mQ#cutid1 Chapter 12]

[[File:KKM8Cover.jpg|thumb]]

=== Volume 8 - A Ma!Star Falls to the Earth! ===
*[[MaruMA:Volume08:Illustrations|Novel Illustrations]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume08:Prologue|Prologue]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume08:Chapter 1|Chapter 1]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume08:Chapter 2|Chapter 2]]
*[http://otonashi-diva.livejournal.com/14476.html Chapter 3 by otonashi-diva]
*[http://otonashi-diva.livejournal.com/14610.html Chapter 4 by otonashi-diva]
*[http://otonashi-diva.livejournal.com/14899.html Chapter 5 by otonashi-diva]
*[http://otonashi-diva.livejournal.com/15244.html Chapter 6 by otonashi-diva]
*[http://otonashi-diva.livejournal.com/15403.html Chapter 7 by otonashi-diva]
*[http://otonashi-diva.livejournal.com/15696.html Chapter 8 by otonashi-diva]
*[[MaruMA:Volume08:Afterword|Afterword]]

=== Side Story 1 - The Facade of the Lady Is a Disguise! ===
*[[MaruMA:SideStory01:Illustrations|Novel Illustrations]]
*[[MaruMA:SideStory01:Prologue|Prologue]]
*[[MaruMA:SideStory01:Chapter 1|Chapter 1]]
*[[MaruMA:SideStory01:Chapter 2|Chapter 2]]
*[[MaruMA:SideStory01:Chapter 3|Chapter 3]]
*[[MaruMA:SideStory01:Chapter 4|Chapter 4]]
*[[MaruMA:SideStory01:Chapter 5|Chapter 5]]
*[[MaruMA:SideStory01:Chapter 6|Chapter 6]]
*[[MaruMA:SideStory01:Chapter 7|Chapter 7]]
*[[MaruMA:SideStory01:Chapter 8|Chapter 8]]
*[[MaruMA:SideStory01:Afterword|Afterword]]

=== Short Stories Volume 2 - My Son is in Ma!Freelance Work!? ===
*[[MaruMA:Gaiden02:Illustrations|Novel Illustrations]]
*[[MaruMA:Gaiden02:Chapter 1|Chapter 1]]
*[[MaruMA:Gaiden02:Chapter 2|Chapter 2]]
*[[MaruMA:Gaiden02:Chapter 3|Chapter 3]]

=== Volume 9 - Aim for the Ends of the Ma!Ocean! ===
*[[MaruMA:Volume09:Illustrations|Novel Illustrations]]
*[http://macimoci.livejournal.com/3181.html#cutid1 Chapter 1 Part 1][http://macimoci.livejournal.com/3925.html#cutid1 Chapter 1 Part 2]
*[http://macimoci.livejournal.com/3598.html#cutid1 Chapter 2]
*[[MaruMA:Volume09:Chapter 3|Chapter 3]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume09:Chapter 4|Chapter 4]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume09:Chapter 5|Chapter 5]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume09:Chapter 6|Chapter 6]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume09:Chapter 7|Chapter 7]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume09:Chapter 8|Chapter 8]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume09:Chapter 9|Chapter 9]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume09:Chapter 10|Chapter 10]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume09:Afterword|Afterword]]

=== Volume 10 - This is the First Ma!Step! ===
*[[MaruMA:Volume10:Illustrations|Novel Illustrations]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume10:Prologue|Prologue]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume10:Chapter 1|Chapter 1]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume10:Chapter 2|Chapter 2]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume10:Chapter 3|Chapter 3]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume10:Chapter 4|Chapter 4]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume10:Chapter 5|Chapter 5]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume10:Chapter 6|Chapter 6]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume10:Chapter 7|Chapter 7]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume10:Short Story|Short Story]]

=== Volume 11 - This Will Become a Ma!Song! ===
*[[MaruMA:Volume11:Illustrations|Novel Illustrations]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume11:Prologue|Prologue]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume11:Chapter 1|Chapter 1]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume11:Chapter 2|Chapter 2]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume11:Chapter 3|Chapter 3]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume11:Chapter 4|Chapter 4]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume11:Chapter 5|Chapter 5]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume11:Chapter 6|Chapter 6]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume11:Chapter 7|Chapter 7]]
*[http://conradxyuuri.livejournal.com/243017.html#cutid1 Chapter 8 by pyrrhic_victoly]
*[[MaruMA:Volume11:Afterword|Afterword]]

=== Volume 12 - The Treasure is in the Ma!Soil! ===
*[[MaruMA:Volume12:Illustrations|Novel Illustrations]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume12:Prologue|Prologue]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume12:Chapter 1|Chapter 1]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume12:Chapter 2|Chapter 2]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume12:Chapter 3|Chapter 3]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume12:Chapter 4|Chapter 4]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume12:Chapter 5|Chapter 5]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume12:Chapter 6|Chapter 6]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume12:Chapter 7|Chapter 7]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume12:Chapter 8|Chapter 8]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume12:Afterword|Afterword]]

=== Volume 13 - The Box is Ma!Bottom of the Water! ===
*[[MaruMA:Volume13:Illustrations|Novel Illustrations]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume13:Prologue|Prologue]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume13:Chapter 1|Chapter 1]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume13:Chapter 2|Chapter 2]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume13:Chapter 3|Chapter 3]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume13:Chapter 4|Chapter 4]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume13:Chapter 5|Chapter 5]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume13:Chapter_6|Chapter 6]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume13:Chapter 7|Chapter 7]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume13:Chapter 8|Chapter 8]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume13:Who's the Demon King's future Queen?...! |Who's the Majesty's Maou's future Mate?...!]] [[http://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/50465121/Novela%2013%20-%20capitulo%20especial.pdf Spanish]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume13:Afterword|Afterword]]

=== Short Stories Volume 3 - Starting Today I'm the Ma!King!? ===
*[[MaruMA:Gaiden03:Illustrations|Novel Illustrations]]
*[https://docs.google.com/document/pub?id=1iN9rRhN5s2dbrwwgtkiTx2cjSKsvBu5_NVyYkCtBa0Y#cutid1 Chapter 1 Part 1] by pyrrhic_victoly
*[https://docs.google.com/document/pub?id=1e04HAwN8hIGJ-lfDSP2UOpBLYCtZ1cJgN5yGQJ4XgOY#cutid1 Chapter 2] by pyrrhic_victoly
*[https://docs.google.com/document/pub?id=17--kwAQsiExEC4l6efpTVmi2QJix-0HvsTcCO5SYAAs#cutid1 Chapter 3] by pyrrhic_victoly
*[https://docs.google.com/document/pub?id=1NrZt198gxSyAMVTb144BWoYhbroFPcdkzPX0vIAB5Qk#cutid1 Chapter 4] by pyrrhic_victoly
*[https://docs.google.com/document/pub?id=1DD5pV5jTbUgubq7jBdmBt5bopY4CF6jPaG__x9W-ppU#cutid1 Chapter 5] by pyrrhic_victoly

=== Volume 14 - The Sand is at the End of the Ma!Road! ===
*[[MaruMA:Volume14:Illustrations|Novel Illustrations]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume14:Prologue|Prologue]]
*[http://kyou-kara-maou.livejournal.com/1682136.html#cutid1 Chapter 1]
*[http://kyou-kara-maou.livejournal.com/1689137.html#cutid1#cutid1 Chapter 2]
*[http://kyou-kara-maou.livejournal.com/1714134.html#cutid1 Chapter 3 Part 1][http://kyou-kara-maou.livejournal.com/1715453.html#cutid1 Chapter 3 Part 2]
*[[MaruMA:Volume14:Chapter 4|Chapter 4]]
*[http://kyou-kara-maou.livejournal.com/1750461.html#cutid1 Chapter 5]
*[http://kyou-kara-maou.livejournal.com/1752526.html#cutid1 Chapter 6]
*[http://kyou-kara-maou.livejournal.com/1754671.html#cutid1 Chapter 7]
*[[MaruMA:Volume14:Chapter 8|Chapter 8]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume14:Short Story|Short Story]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume14:Afterword|Afterword]]

=== Volume 15 - Set Ma!Sail for Home! ===
*[[MaruMA:Volume15:Illustrations|Novel Illustrations]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume15:Prologue|Prologue]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume15:Chapter 1|Chapter 1]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume15:Chapter 2|Chapter 2]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume15:Chapter 3|Chapter 3]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume15:Chapter 4|Chapter 4]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume15:Chapter 5|Chapter 5]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume15:Chapter 6|Chapter 6]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume15:Chapter 7|Chapter 7]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume15:Chapter 8|Chapter 8]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume15:Afterword|Afterword]]

=== Short Stories Volume 4 - From the Ma!Kingdom, With Love ===
*[[MaruMA:Gaiden04:Illustrations|Novel Illustrations]]
*[[MaruMA:Gaiden04:Chapter_1|Chapter 1]]
*[[MaruMA:Gaiden04:Chapter 2|Chapter 2]]
*[http://conradxyuuri.livejournal.com/262544.html#t1975440 Chapter 3 by macimoci]
*[[MaruMA:Gaiden04:Chapter 4|Chapter 4]]
*[[MaruMA:Gaiden04:Chapter 5|Chapter 5]]
*[[MaruMA:Gaiden04:Chapter 6|Chapter 6]]
*[[MaruMA:Gaiden04:Chapter 7|Chapter 7]]

=== Volume 16 - Before Us is the Ma!Prison! ===
*[[MaruMA:Volume16:Illustrations|Novel Illustrations]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume16:Prologue|Prologue]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume16:Chapter 1|Chapter 1]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume16:Chapter 2|Chapter 2]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume16:Chapter 3|Chapter 3]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume16:Chapter 4|Chapter 4]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume16:Chapter 5|Chapter 5]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume16:Chapter 6|Chapter 6]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume16:Chapter 7|Chapter 7]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume16:Chapter 8|Chapter 8]]

=== Volume 17 - Behind Us is the Stone Ma!Wall!===
Behind the Stone Walls
*[[MaruMA:Volume17:Illustrations|Novel Illustrations]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume17:Prologue|Prologue]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume17:Chapter 1|Chapter 1]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume17:Chapter 2|Chapter 2]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume17:Chapter 3|Chapter 3]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume17:Chapter 4|Chapter 4]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume17:Chapter 5|Chapter 5]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume17:Chapter 6|Chapter 6]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume17:Chapter 7|Chapter 7]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume17:Chapter 8|Chapter 8]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume17:Chapter 9|Chapter 9]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume17:Chapter 10|Chapter 10]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume17:Chapter 11|Chapter 11]]

=== Volumen 18 - The Ma!Light Burns in the Darkness! ===

=== Kyou Kara Maou! Maou Tanjou Hen ===
*[http://otonashi-diva.livejournal.com/12090.html But My Heart Will Probably Beat Excitedly]

=== Kyou Kara Maou! Maou Houkou Hen ===
*[http://otonashi-diva.livejournal.com/11907.html Together with Father]

=== Special "ドキッ☆男だらけの深夜便"===

*[[MaruMA:VolumeAnissinaSpecial_Illustrations|Novel Illustrations]]
*[http://otonashi-diva.livejournal.com/12681.html 世界の国から毒女 Part 1]
*[http://otonashi-diva.livejournal.com/12996.html 世界の国から毒女 Part 2]
*CD Drama "Ｄの世界"

=== MA Hon===
*[http://otonashi-diva.livejournal.com/13095.html Getting to Know The Great Demon Kingdom by Walking Through a Ma!Town]
*[http://otonashi-diva.livejournal.com/13527.html Interview]
*[http://otonashi-diva.livejournal.com/13590.html Special Short Story: Replay (SSS Re:) 1-6]
*[http://otonashi-diva.livejournal.com/14063.html Special Short Story: Replay (SSS Re:) 7-13]
*[http://otonashi-diva.livejournal.com/14186.html Special Short Story: Replay (SSS Re:) 14-End]

=== [http://otonashi-diva.livejournal.com/7751.html Apollo 00] by Otonashi_diva===
[[MaruMA:Apollo00:Illustrations|Novel Illustrations]]

=== Apollo 01===
[[MaruMA:Apollo01:Illustrations|Novel Illustrations]]
*[http://otonashi-diva.livejournal.com/12493.html Alice by otonashi-diva]

== Staff ==
Supervisor:

Project Manager: [[user:Tasear|Tasear]]

=== Translators ===
'''ACTIVE'''

:*[[user:LRenne|LRenne]]
:*[[user:Tati-ai|Tati-ai]]
:*[[user:ClavelSangrante|ClavelSangrante]] (Slowly...)
:*[[user:Alaxxis Sade|Alaxxis Sade]]
:*[[user:Rinetto chan|Rinetto chan]]
:*[[user:RedGlassesGirl|RedGlassesGirl]]
:*[[user:Tasear|Tasear]] [https://tasear.wordpress.com/ (Blog)]
'''INACTIVE'''
:*Emeryl ([http://www.sakuracities.com/yaoigames/kkmnovel1.php Onadoru Euphoria])
:*[http://kannnichtfranz.livejournal.com/ kannnichtfranz]
:*Dannita
:*[[user:Stellarroze|stellarroze]]

=== Editors ===

:*[[user:Kira0802|Kira0802]]

:*[[user:Tasear|Tasear]]

:*[[user:TerryBoom|TerryBoom]]

== Series Overview ==

====Main Story====
* Kyou Kara Ma no Tsuku Jiyuugyou!
* Kondo wa Ma no Tsuku Saishuu Heiki!
* Konya wa Ma no Tsuku Dai Dassou!
* Ashita wa Ma no Tsuku Kaze ga Fuku!

===Caloria Arc===
* Kitto Ma no Tsuku Hi ga Noboru!
* Itsuka Ma no Tsuku Yugure ni!
* Ten ni Ma no Tsuku Yuki ga Mau!
* Chi ni wa Ma no Tsuku Hoshi ga Furu!

===Seisakoku Arc===
* Mezase Ma no Tsuku Umi no Hate!
* Kore ga Ma no Tsuku Daiippo!
* Yagate Ma no Tsuku Uta ni Naru!
* Takara wa Ma no Tsuku Chi no Naka!
* Hako wa Ma no Tsuku Mizu no Soko!
* Suna wa Ma no Tsuku To no Saki!
* Kokyou e Ma no Tsuku Kaji wo Tore!

===Prison Arc===
* Mae wa Ma no Tsuku Tetsugoushi!

===Gaidens===
* Heika to Ma no Tsuku TOSA Nikki!?
* Ojousama wa Kari no Sugata!
* Musoko wa Ma no Tsuku Jiyuugyou!
* Kyou Kara Maou?! Kumahachi Special
* Shin Makoku Yori Ai Wo Komete

==Pages==
*[http://kyoukaramaou.wikia.com/wiki/Media Kyou Kara Maou Wiki]
*[http://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E3%81%BE%E3%82%8B%E3%83%9E%E3%82%B7%E3%83%AA%E3%83%BC%E3%82%BA Japanese Wiki] (Maru-Ma Series)

[[Category:Light novel (English)]]
[[Category:Tomo Takabayashio]]

Maru-MA

2015-02-05T09:07:46Z

Alaxxis Sade: /* Updates */

{{Status|Active}}

[[Image:CoverKyouKaraMaouTanjouHen01.jpg|300px|thumb|Kyou Kara MA Ou! Tanjou Hen 1 Cover]]

'''''Maru-MA''''' also known as The MA Series (㋮シリーズ) is a light novel series written by [[:Category:Tomo Takabayashi|Takabayashio Tomo]] and illustrated by Matsumoto Temari. The common name or community name of the series in english and spanish is Kyou Kara Maou. It's published by Kadokawa Shoten since 2000. There are currently 22 novels released. Between 2004-2009 was the series adapted into anime. The 117 episodes aired as ''Kyō kara Maō!'' (jp. 今日からマ王!) in Japan on NHK BS-2. There were two of three seasons released in english under the names Kyou Kara Maoh! and God(?), Save Our King!

== Story Synopsis ==
Yuri Shibuya was living a pretty normal life. That changed the day he was dunked into a toilet after an attempt to save a classmate from a gang of bullies. Instead of just getting a good soaking, he's pulled in. The next thing he knows, he's in a world that vaguely resembles medieval Europe. If that's not odd enough, he's told that he is to be the next Maoh,( Demon King ) just because he has black hair and black eyes. The Maoh is the King of the Mazoku ( Demon tribe ), who are coexisting not-so-peacefully with the humans in this world. Much to his subject's dismay, he's totally different from the rulers they're accustomed to. He's kind, considerate, a believer in justice, and not willing to use violence to solve conflicts. Not exactly someone they want running a country on the very brink of war. Now, Yuri has to deal with trying to become a good Maoh, while at the same time attempting to adapt to this land's customs and culture, all in a world where the tension between the humans and Mazoku is reaching its peak.

== Translation ==

=== [[MA Series:Registration Page|Registration]] ===

'''Translators are asked to [[MA Series:Registration Page|register]] for chapters they want to work on'''

===Format Standards===
'''Every Chapter (after editing) must conform to the general format guidelines.'''
*[[Format_guideline|General Format/Style Guideline]]
*[[MA Series:Names and Terminology Guideline|Project specific Guidelines: Names and Terminology]]

== Updates ==
*'''5 February 2015''' - Short Story 1 Prologue and Chapter 1
*'''30 January 2015''' - Volume 10 Short Story
*'''22 January 2015''' - Volume 10 Chapter 4~7
*'''13 January 2015''' - Volume 10 Chapter 1~3
*'''9 January 2015''' - Volume 9 completed
*'''23 December 2014''' - Volume 9 Chapter 6
*'''21 December 2014''' - Updated prologues for Volumes 11, 15 and 17.
*'''15 December 2014''' - Volume 9 Chapter 5
*'''12 December 2014''' - Volume 9 Chapter 4
*'''12 December 2014''' - Volume 9 Chapter 3
*'''2 October 2013''' - Apollo 00 by [http://otonashi-diva.livejournal.com/ Otonashi_diva]
*'''21 September 2013''' - Titles's translation by [http://otonashi-diva.livejournal.com/ Otonashi_diva]
*'''21 September 2013''' - Volume 4 Full Text by [http://otonashi-diva.livejournal.com/ Otonashi_diva]
*'''22 January 2012''' - Volume 1, Full Text uploaded.
*'''21 January 2012''' - Volume 8, Prologue + Chapter 1 + Chapter 2 added.
* '''21 January 2012''' - Novel 3 Full text uploaded.
* '''18 January 2012''' - Teaser Project started!

== MA Series ==

[[File:KKM1Cover.jpg|thumb]]
=== Volume 1 - Starting Today I'm in Ma!Freelance Work!! [[MaruMA:Volume 01|(Full text)]]===
*[[MaruMA:Volume01:Illustrations|Novel Illustrations]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume01:Character_Introduction|Character Introduction]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume01:Prologue|Prologue]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume01:Chapter_1|Chapter 1]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume01:Chapter_2|Chapter 2]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume01:Chapter_3|Chapter 3]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume01:Chapter_4|Chapter 4]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume01:Chapter_5|Chapter 5]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume01:Chapter_6|Chapter 6]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume01:Chapter_7|Chapter 7]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume01:Chapter_8|Chapter 8]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume01:Chapter_9|Chapter 9]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume01:Chapter_10|Chapter 10]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume01:Afterword|Afterword]]

=== Volume 2 - This Time it's the Ultimate Ma!Weapon! [http://www.asphodelshaven.com/translations/view/novel/kkm_02/all#cutid1 (Full Text) by AsphodelsHaven ]===

[[File:KKM3Cover.jpg|thumb]]

=== Volume 3 - Tonight is the Great Ma!Escape!!! [[MaruMA:Volume 03|(Full text)]] ===
*[[MaruMA:Volume03:Illustrations|Novel Illustrations]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume03:Prologue|Prologue]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume03:Chapter_1|Chapter 1]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume03:Chapter_2|Chapter 2]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume03:Chapter_3|Chapter 3]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume03:Chapter_4|Chapter 4]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume03:Chapter_5|Chapter 5]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume03:Chapter_6|Chapter 6]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume03:Chapter_7|Chapter 7]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume03:Chapter_8|Chapter 8]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume03:Chapter_9|Chapter 9]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume03:Chapter_10|Chapter 10]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume03:Chapter_11|Chapter 11]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume03:Chapter_12|Chapter 12]]

[[File:KKM4Cover.jpg|thumb]]

=== Volume 4 - Tomorrow a Ma!Wind Will Blow! ===
*[http://otonashi-diva.livejournal.com/2718.html Prologue and Chapter 1 by Otonashi_diva]
*[http://otonashi-diva.livejournal.com/3045.html Chapter 2 by Otonashi-diva]
*[http://otonashi-diva.livejournal.com/3077.html Chapter 3 by Otonashi_diva]
*[http://otonashi-diva.livejournal.com/3576.html Chapter 4 by Otonashi_diva]
*[http://otonashi-diva.livejournal.com/3676.html Chapter 5 by Otonashi_diva]
*[http://otonashi-diva.livejournal.com/4031.html Chapter 6 by Otonashi_diva]
*[http://otonashi-diva.livejournal.com/4301.html Chapter 7 by Otonashi_diva]
*[http://otonashi-diva.livejournal.com/4481.html Chapter 8 by Otonashi_diva]
*[http://otonashi-diva.livejournal.com/4790.html Chapter 9 by Otonashi_diva]
*[http://otonashi-diva.livejournal.com/5055.html Chapter 10 by Otonashi_diva]

[[File:KKMgaiden1cover.jpg|thumb]]

=== Short Stories Volume 1 - His Excellency and the Tosa Ma!Diary!? ===
*[[MaruMA:Gaiden01:Illustrations|Novel Illustrations]]
*[http://otonashi-diva.livejournal.com/8339.html Prologue by otonashi-diva]
*[http://otonashi-diva.livejournal.com/8807.html The Taming of the Bear - Day 1 by otonashi-diva]
*[http://otonashi-diva.livejournal.com/9053.html The Taming of the Bear - Day 2 by otonashi-diva]
*[http://otonashi-diva.livejournal.com/9642.html The Taming of the Bear - Day 3 by otonashi-diva]
*[http://otonashi-diva.livejournal.com/10744.html Romero & Argent Part 1 by otonashi-diva]
*[http://otonashi-diva.livejournal.com/10865.html Romero & Argent Part 2 by otonashi-diva]
*[http://otonashi-diva.livejournal.com/11259.html All's Well That Ends Well Part 1 by otonashi-diva]
*[http://otonashi-diva.livejournal.com/11299.html All's Well That Ends Well Part 2 by otonashi-diva]
*[http://otonashi-diva.livejournal.com/11550.html Epilogue]

[[File:KKM5Cover.jpg|thumb]]

=== Volume 5 - The Ma!Sun Will Definitely Rise! ===
*[[MaruMA:Volume05:Illustrations|Novel Illustrations]]
Translation completely done by Kannichtfranz.
*[http://kannnichtfranz.livejournal.com/232017.html PROLOGUE & Chapter 1 by kannnichtfranz]
*[http://kannnichtfranz.livejournal.com/232318.html Chapter 2 by kannnichtfranz]
*[http://kannnichtfranz.livejournal.com/232722.html Chapter 3 by kannnichtfranz]
*[http://kannnichtfranz.livejournal.com/233072.html Chapter 4 by kannnichtfranz]
*[http://kannnichtfranz.livejournal.com/233459.html Chapter 5 by kannnichtfranz]
*[http://kannnichtfranz.livejournal.com/233597.html Chapter 6 by kannnichtfranz]
*[http://kannnichtfranz.livejournal.com/234109.html Chapter 7 by kannnichtfranz]
*[http://kannnichtfranz.livejournal.com/234400.html Chapter 8 by kannnichtfranz]
*[http://kannnichtfranz.livejournal.com/234650.html Chapter 9 by kannnichtfranz]
*[http://kannnichtfranz.livejournal.com/234839.html Chapter 10 by kannnichtfranz]

[[File:KKM6Cover.jpg|thumb]]

=== Volume 6 - Someday in the Ma!Twilight! ===
*[[MaruMA:Volume06:Illustrations|Novel Illustrations]]
Translation by Kannichtfranz.
*[http://kannnichtfranz.livejournal.com/240669.html Prologue & Chapter 1 by kannnichtfranz]
*[http://kannnichtfranz.livejournal.com/241095.html Chapter 2 by kannnichtfranz]
*[http://kannnichtfranz.livejournal.com/241290.html Chapter 3 by kannnichtfranz]
*[http://kannnichtfranz.livejournal.com/243822.html Chapter 4 by kannnichtfranz]
*[http://kannnichtfranz.livejournal.com/244149.html Chapter 5 by kannnichtfranz]
*[http://otonashi-diva.livejournal.com/6036.html Chapter 6 by otonashi-diva]
*[http://otonashi-diva.livejournal.com/6189.html Chapter 7 by otonashi-diva]
*[http://otonashi-diva.livejournal.com/6468.html Chapter 8 by otonashi-diva]
*[http://otonashi-diva.livejournal.com/6976.html Chapter 9 by otonashi-diva]
*[http://otonashi-diva.livejournal.com/7219.html Chapter 10 by otonashi-diva]
*[http://otonashi-diva.livejournal.com/7581.html Chapter 11 by otonashi-diva]

[[File:KKM89Cover.jpg|thumb]]

=== Volume 7 - The Ma!Snow Dances in the Sky! ===
*[[MaruMA:Volume07:Illustrations|Novel Illustrations]]
[https://docs.google.com/View?docid=dd9f2j4p_4dj842w&pli=1 Full Translation by vivarina.]
*[http://kyou-kara-maou.livejournal.com/1163379.html#cutid1 Chapter 1 by vivarina]
*[http://kyou-kara-maou.livejournal.com/1167043.html#cutid1 Chapter 2 by vivarina]
*[http://kyou-kara-maou.livejournal.com/1171141.html#cutid1 Chapter 3 by vivarina]
*[http://otonashi-diva.livejournal.com/8190.html Chapter 4 by otonashi-diva]]
*[http://otonashi-diva.livejournal.com/8634.html Chapter 5 by otonashi-diva]
*[http://otonashi-diva.livejournal.com/9400.html Chapter 6 by otonashi-diva]
*[http://otonashi-diva.livejournal.com/9941.html Chapter 7 by otonashi-diva]
*[http://otonashi-diva.livejournal.com/10037.html Chapter 8 by otonashi-diva]
*[http://otonashi-diva.livejournal.com/10321.html Chapter 9 by otonashi diva]
*[https://docs.google.com/document/pub?id=1VP8yzjkY0i62pwcmSUj2uHeabpelL-aQTU77CeHSsVM#cutid1 Chapter 10]
*[https://docs.google.com/document/pub?id=13bWqLhPRQ5Te5K-_7kypSVv6SSejSR_ry-5vS0XLDyA#cutid1 Chapter 11]
*[https://docs.google.com/document/pub?id=1OHeGlD5ThrgwU4AVPSQnvN-RAsUaeQxSMNPTbV789mQ#cutid1 Chapter 12]

[[File:KKM8Cover.jpg|thumb]]

=== Volume 8 - A Ma!Star Falls to the Earth! ===
*[[MaruMA:Volume08:Illustrations|Novel Illustrations]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume08:Prologue|Prologue]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume08:Chapter 1|Chapter 1]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume08:Chapter 2|Chapter 2]]
*[http://otonashi-diva.livejournal.com/14476.html Chapter 3 by otonashi-diva]
*[http://otonashi-diva.livejournal.com/14610.html Chapter 4 by otonashi-diva]
*[http://otonashi-diva.livejournal.com/14899.html Chapter 5 by otonashi-diva]
*[http://otonashi-diva.livejournal.com/15244.html Chapter 6 by otonashi-diva]
*[http://otonashi-diva.livejournal.com/15403.html Chapter 7 by otonashi-diva]
*[http://otonashi-diva.livejournal.com/15696.html Chapter 8 by otonashi-diva]
*[[MaruMA:Volume08:Afterword|Afterword]]

=== Side Story 1 - The Facade of the Lady Is a Disguise! ===
*[[MaruMA:SideStory01:Illustrations|Novel Illustrations]]
*[[MaruMA:SideStory01:Prologue|Prologue]]
*[[MaruMA:SideStory01:Chapter 1|Chapter 1]]
*[[MaruMA:SideStory01:Chapter 2|Chapter 2]]
*[[MaruMA:SideStory01:Chapter 3|Chapter 3]]
*[[MaruMA:SideStory01:Chapter 4|Chapter 4]]
*[[MaruMA:SideStory01:Chapter 5|Chapter 5]]
*[[MaruMA:SideStory01:Chapter 6|Chapter 6]]
*[[MaruMA:SideStory01:Chapter 7|Chapter 7]]
*[[MaruMA:SideStory01:Chapter 8|Chapter 8]]
*[[MaruMA:SideStory01:Afterword|Afterword]]

=== Short Stories Volume 2 - My Son is in Ma!Freelance Work!? ===
*[[MaruMA:Gaiden02:Illustrations|Novel Illustrations]]
*[[MaruMA:Gaiden02:Chapter 1|Chapter 1]]
*[[MaruMA:Gaiden02:Chapter 2|Chapter 2]]
*[[MaruMA:Gaiden02:Chapter 3|Chapter 3]]

=== Volume 9 - Aim for the Ends of the Ma!Ocean! ===
*[[MaruMA:Volume09:Illustrations|Novel Illustrations]]
*[http://macimoci.livejournal.com/3181.html#cutid1 Chapter 1 Part 1][http://macimoci.livejournal.com/3925.html#cutid1 Chapter 1 Part 2]
*[http://macimoci.livejournal.com/3598.html#cutid1 Chapter 2]
*[[MaruMA:Volume09:Chapter 3|Chapter 3]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume09:Chapter 4|Chapter 4]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume09:Chapter 5|Chapter 5]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume09:Chapter 6|Chapter 6]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume09:Chapter 7|Chapter 7]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume09:Chapter 8|Chapter 8]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume09:Chapter 9|Chapter 9]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume09:Chapter 10|Chapter 10]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume09:Afterword|Afterword]]

=== Volume 10 - This is the First Ma!Step! ===
*[[MaruMA:Volume10:Illustrations|Novel Illustrations]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume10:Prologue|Prologue]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume10:Chapter 1|Chapter 1]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume10:Chapter 2|Chapter 2]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume10:Chapter 3|Chapter 3]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume10:Chapter 4|Chapter 4]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume10:Chapter 5|Chapter 5]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume10:Chapter 6|Chapter 6]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume10:Chapter 7|Chapter 7]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume10:Short Story|Short Story]]

=== Volume 11 - This Will Become a Ma!Song! ===
*[[MaruMA:Volume11:Illustrations|Novel Illustrations]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume11:Prologue|Prologue]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume11:Chapter 1|Chapter 1]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume11:Chapter 2|Chapter 2]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume11:Chapter 3|Chapter 3]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume11:Chapter 4|Chapter 4]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume11:Chapter 5|Chapter 5]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume11:Chapter 6|Chapter 6]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume11:Chapter 7|Chapter 7]]
*[http://conradxyuuri.livejournal.com/243017.html#cutid1 Chapter 8 by pyrrhic_victoly]
*[[MaruMA:Volume11:Afterword|Afterword]]

=== Volume 12 - The Treasure is in the Ma!Soil! ===
*[[MaruMA:Volume12:Illustrations|Novel Illustrations]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume12:Prologue|Prologue]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume12:Chapter 1|Chapter 1]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume12:Chapter 2|Chapter 2]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume12:Chapter 3|Chapter 3]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume12:Chapter 4|Chapter 4]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume12:Chapter 5|Chapter 5]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume12:Chapter 6|Chapter 6]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume12:Chapter 7|Chapter 7]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume12:Chapter 8|Chapter 8]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume12:Afterword|Afterword]]

=== Volume 13 - The Box is Ma!Bottom of the Water! ===
*[[MaruMA:Volume13:Illustrations|Novel Illustrations]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume13:Prologue|Prologue]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume13:Chapter 1|Chapter 1]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume13:Chapter 2|Chapter 2]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume13:Chapter 3|Chapter 3]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume13:Chapter 4|Chapter 4]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume13:Chapter 5|Chapter 5]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume13:Chapter_6|Chapter 6]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume13:Chapter 7|Chapter 7]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume13:Chapter 8|Chapter 8]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume13:Who's the Demon King's future Queen?...! |Who's the Demon King's future Queen?...!]] [[http://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/50465121/Novela%2013%20-%20capitulo%20especial.pdf Spanish]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume13:Afterword|Afterword]]

=== Short Stories Volume 3 - Starting Today I'm the Ma!King!? ===
*[[MaruMA:Gaiden03:Illustrations|Novel Illustrations]]
*[https://docs.google.com/document/pub?id=1iN9rRhN5s2dbrwwgtkiTx2cjSKsvBu5_NVyYkCtBa0Y#cutid1 Chapter 1 Part 1] by pyrrhic_victoly
*[https://docs.google.com/document/pub?id=1e04HAwN8hIGJ-lfDSP2UOpBLYCtZ1cJgN5yGQJ4XgOY#cutid1 Chapter 2] by pyrrhic_victoly
*[https://docs.google.com/document/pub?id=17--kwAQsiExEC4l6efpTVmi2QJix-0HvsTcCO5SYAAs#cutid1 Chapter 3] by pyrrhic_victoly
*[https://docs.google.com/document/pub?id=1NrZt198gxSyAMVTb144BWoYhbroFPcdkzPX0vIAB5Qk#cutid1 Chapter 4] by pyrrhic_victoly
*[https://docs.google.com/document/pub?id=1DD5pV5jTbUgubq7jBdmBt5bopY4CF6jPaG__x9W-ppU#cutid1 Chapter 5] by pyrrhic_victoly

=== Volume 14 - The Sand is at the End of the Ma!Road! ===
*[[MaruMA:Volume14:Illustrations|Novel Illustrations]]
*[http://kyou-kara-maou.livejournal.com/1682136.html#cutid1 Chapter 1]
*[http://kyou-kara-maou.livejournal.com/1689137.html#cutid1#cutid1 Chapter 2]
*[http://kyou-kara-maou.livejournal.com/1714134.html#cutid1 Chapter 3 Part 1][http://kyou-kara-maou.livejournal.com/1715453.html#cutid1 Chapter 3 Part 2]
*[[MaruMA:Volume14:Chapter 4|Chapter 4]]
*[http://kyou-kara-maou.livejournal.com/1750461.html#cutid1 Chapter 5]
*[http://kyou-kara-maou.livejournal.com/1752526.html#cutid1 Chapter 6]
*[http://kyou-kara-maou.livejournal.com/1754671.html#cutid1 Chapter 7]
*[[MaruMA:Volume14:Chapter 8|Chapter 8]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume14:Short Story|Short Story]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume14:Afterword|Afterword]]

=== Volume 15 - Set Ma!Sail for Home! ===
*[[MaruMA:Volume15:Illustrations|Novel Illustrations]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume15:Prologue|Prologue]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume15:Chapter 1|Chapter 1]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume15:Chapter 2|Chapter 2]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume15:Chapter 3|Chapter 3]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume15:Chapter 4|Chapter 4]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume15:Chapter 5|Chapter 5]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume15:Chapter 6|Chapter 6]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume15:Chapter 7|Chapter 7]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume15:Chapter 8|Chapter 8]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume15:Afterword|Afterword]]

=== Short Stories Volume 4 - From the Ma!Kingdom, With Love ===
*[[MaruMA:Gaiden04:Illustrations|Novel Illustrations]]
*[[MaruMA:Gaiden04:Chapter_1|Chapter 1]]
*[[MaruMA:Gaiden04:Chapter 2|Chapter 2]]
*[http://conradxyuuri.livejournal.com/262544.html#t1975440 Chapter 3 by macimoci]
*[[MaruMA:Gaiden04:Chapter 4|Chapter 4]]
*[[MaruMA:Gaiden04:Chapter 5|Chapter 5]]
*[[MaruMA:Gaiden04:Chapter 6|Chapter 6]]
*[[MaruMA:Gaiden04:Chapter 7|Chapter 7]]

=== Volume 16 - Before Us is the Ma!Prison! ===
*[[MaruMA:Volume16:Illustrations|Novel Illustrations]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume16:Prologue|Prologue]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume16:Chapter 1|Chapter 1]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume16:Chapter 2|Chapter 2]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume16:Chapter 3|Chapter 3]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume16:Chapter 4|Chapter 4]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume16:Chapter 5|Chapter 5]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume16:Chapter 6|Chapter 6]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume16:Chapter 7|Chapter 7]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume16:Chapter 8|Chapter 8]]

=== Volume 17 - Behind Us is the Stone Ma!Wall!===
Behind the Stone Walls
*[[MaruMA:Volume17:Illustrations|Novel Illustrations]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume17:Prologue|Prologue]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume17:Chapter 1|Chapter 1]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume17:Chapter 2|Chapter 2]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume17:Chapter 3|Chapter 3]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume17:Chapter 4|Chapter 4]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume17:Chapter 5|Chapter 5]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume17:Chapter 6|Chapter 6]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume17:Chapter 7|Chapter 7]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume17:Chapter 8|Chapter 8]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume17:Chapter 9|Chapter 9]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume17:Chapter 10|Chapter 10]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume17:Chapter 11|Chapter 11]]

=== Volumen 18 - The Ma!Light Burns in the Darkness! ===

=== Kyou Kara Maou! Maou Tanjou Hen ===
*[http://otonashi-diva.livejournal.com/12090.html But My Heart Will Probably Beat Excitedly]

=== Kyou Kara Maou! Maou Houkou Hen ===
*[http://otonashi-diva.livejournal.com/11907.html Together with Father]

=== Special "ドキッ☆男だらけの深夜便"===

*[[MaruMA:VolumeAnissinaSpecial_Illustrations|Novel Illustrations]]
*[http://otonashi-diva.livejournal.com/12681.html 世界の国から毒女 Part 1]
*[http://otonashi-diva.livejournal.com/12996.html 世界の国から毒女 Part 2]
*CD Drama "Ｄの世界"

=== MA Hon===
*[http://otonashi-diva.livejournal.com/13095.html Getting to Know The Great Demon Kingdom by Walking Through a Ma!Town]
*[http://otonashi-diva.livejournal.com/13527.html Interview]
*[http://otonashi-diva.livejournal.com/13590.html Special Short Story: Replay (SSS Re:) 1-6]
*[http://otonashi-diva.livejournal.com/14063.html Special Short Story: Replay (SSS Re:) 7-13]
*[http://otonashi-diva.livejournal.com/14186.html Special Short Story: Replay (SSS Re:) 14-End]

=== [http://otonashi-diva.livejournal.com/7751.html Apollo 00] by Otonashi_diva===
[[MaruMA:Apollo00:Illustrations|Novel Illustrations]]

=== Apollo 01===
[[MaruMA:Apollo01:Illustrations|Novel Illustrations]]
*[http://otonashi-diva.livejournal.com/12493.html Alice by otonashi-diva]

== Staff ==
Supervisor:

Project Manager:

=== Translators ===
'''ACTIVE'''

:*[[user:LRenne|LRenne]]
:*[[user:Tati-ai|Tati-ai]]
:*[[user:ClavelSangrante|ClavelSangrante]] (Slowly...)
:*[[user:Alaxxis Sade|Alaxxis Sade]]
:*[[user:Rinetto chan|Rinetto chan]]
'''INACTIVE'''
:*Emeryl ([http://www.sakuracities.com/yaoigames/kkmnovel1.php Onadoru Euphoria])
:*[http://kannnichtfranz.livejournal.com/ kannnichtfranz]
:*Dannita
:*[[user:Stellarroze|stellarroze]]

=== Editors ===

:*[[user:Kira0802|Kira0802]]

:*[[user:Tasear|Tasear]]

:*[[user:TerryBoom|TerryBoom]]

== Series Overview ==

====Main Story====
* Kyou Kara Ma no Tsuku Jiyuugyou!
* Kondo wa Ma no Tsuku Saishuu Heiki!
* Konya wa Ma no Tsuku Dai Dassou!
* Ashita wa Ma no Tsuku Kaze ga Fuku!

===Caloria Arc===
* Kitto Ma no Tsuku Hi ga Noboru!
* Itsuka Ma no Tsuku Yugure ni!
* Ten ni Ma no Tsuku Yuki ga Mau!
* Chi ni wa Ma no Tsuku Hoshi ga Furu!

===Seisakoku Arc===
* Mezase Ma no Tsuku Umi no Hate!
* Kore ga Ma no Tsuku Daiippo!
* Yagate Ma no Tsuku Uta ni Naru!
* Takara wa Ma no Tsuku Chi no Naka!
* Hako wa Ma no Tsuku Mizu no Soko!
* Suna wa Ma no Tsuku To no Saki!
* Kokyou e Ma no Tsuku Kaji wo Tore!

===Prison Arc===
* Mae wa Ma no Tsuku Tetsugoushi!

===Gaidens===
* Heika to Ma no Tsuku TOSA Nikki!?
* Ojousama wa Kari no Sugata!
* Musoko wa Ma no Tsuku Jiyuugyou!
* Kyou Kara Maou?! Kumahachi Special
* Shin Makoku Yori Ai Wo Komete

==Pages==
*[http://kyoukaramaou.wikia.com/wiki/Media Kyou Kara Maou Wiki]
*[http://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E3%81%BE%E3%82%8B%E3%83%9E%E3%82%B7%E3%83%AA%E3%83%BC%E3%82%BA Japanese Wiki] (Maru-Ma Series)

[[Category:Light novel (English)]]
[[Category:Tomo Takabayashio]]

MaruMA:SideStory01:Chapter 1

2015-02-05T09:05:43Z

Alaxxis Sade: Created page with "===Chapter 1 1938, Spring, Boston=== My name is April Graves. But I wasn’t born in April. Although my parents insisted on an excuse like ‘we wished you would bec..."

===Chapter 1 1938, Spring, Boston===

My name is April Graves.

But I wasn’t born in April.

Although my parents insisted on an excuse like ‘we wished you would become a cute girl that makes people think of the new green season’, but since I was small I knew that my dark coffee-colored curls and dull blue-grey eyes have nothing at all to do with early spring in the current Boston.

I was more than ten-years-old before I found out that my name was insisted on by my grandmother. The neighbors at the mansion, the Pendletons, have a large family, and even the fourth son, Nick, who was around my age, knows everything about kids. Seems like he’s going to get his third younger brother or sister, but they would only be born ten months later. So after I do a little counting with my friend who told me this, I realized that my birthday is exactly ten months away from April. In other words, this cute name of mine, April, was given to me according to the month of my conception.

I’m completely confused, as to why they didn’t just call me ‘Ann’ and be done with it. Although eighteen years have passed since then, but to this day I would sometimes get thoughts like that.

The problem is Grandmother’s opinion is absolute. Hazel Graves is always standing on the top of Graves family power pyramid, and forbids anyone from disagreeing with her. Truth is the family also gathered its wealth this way, creating a considerable position for itself in the cultural melting pot that is the United States. Grandfather used Grandmother’s money to start a business, and the son-in-law who later inherited the Graves family business –in other words, April’s father—is still keeping the business going strong. Not only did he survive the financial meltdown ten years ago, he can even solve the unfortunate news coming from Europe in the shortest possible time. This is all thanks to the entire Graves family uniting and obeying Grandmother’s teachings. Even though she was called back to the Lord’s side two years ago, the entire family hasn’t changed its style.

That’s right, the most important thing is Grandmother’s teachings.

Such as the habit that, even in safety, we must count to five before we take any actions.

April lies low behind the shirt wall underneath the window, and starts counting from deep within her throat. One, two, three… She only got to four when harried footsteps come her way, a few officers running past the direction she had meant to escape to. She holds her breath, observing carefully, and notices that all four of the policemen have their fingers on the triggers. If she had dashed out five seconds earlier, she would have definitely been shot full of holes.

After the group of people passed, she finally leaves the scene. And ten, she hangs the targeted item around her neck, doing up her blouse to the last button.

What she’s planning to take away from this castle, allegedly built from bribes, is a piece of jewelry passed down through generations of a once-royal family. The necklace, with striped amber as the main attraction, is so luxurious it can hardly be called beautiful anymore. According to legend, though, gems used in sacrifices have a mysterious power, and it would become redder, shinier if it absorbed the life energy of a pure and innocent young girl. Her lips curve into a small smile, as she thinks. ‘Since nothing happened when I put it on, that proves I’m not innocent.”

“April!”

Her partner is waving at her from the tall wall, even wearing some army uniform he got from goodness knows where. The army-green jeep is already fired up and ready beside him.

“I’m jumping! DT!”

“What?”

Her partner’s expression becomes a little panicked. It’s hard to tell Asians’ age to begin with, and his expression now makes him look five years younger than he already does. Although he’s way past the big 30, but he still the baby face of a young Chinese boy.

“Hold on a sec! April! Let me get a mattress or something…”

Before he can even finish his sentence, April stomps down onto the tiles, proceeding to leap down the forty to fifty feet tall wall. In his panic DT holds out his arms, just managing to catch her.

“Mmph, my arm’s gonna break!”

“You’re exaggerating. And the really heavy thing isn’t me, it’s the necklace.”

“It’s not a matter of weight! Who actually just jumps like that! And from somewhere so high! You really are too rash, too impulsive. And this isn’t the only time! You’ve been like this the past two years, and your plans aren’t graceful or careful at all. Besides, the ‘prey’ was just in the next state, why did we have to run all the way to Mexico?”

“Not bad, you were really shocked too. It’s so funny!”

“Don’t you laugh! You should have discussed it with me, and you should have done some investigations beforehand too! I heard that Hazel Graves was known for her gracefulness, and to think that her granddaughter is like this…”

Interrupting his resenting lecture, April jumps onto the dirty jeep.

“What, why don’t you blame yourself for not being strong enough? Look at those skinny arms, you should go train them up, play some football.”

“You’re blaming me? You’re trying to put everything on me, aren’t you?”

Compared to the men April meets in her daily life, namely relatives or high school classmates, the Asian’s figure is smaller, and his limbs thinner. Truth is April’s own physique isn’t that much better, so it’s basically the pot calling the kettle black.

“Whatever, back in my hometown this counts as very standard. You on the other hand, you’re already eighteen, so why do you still have an iron board figure? Take me for instance, I’ve never dated a ‘flat’ person before.”

“Chest size has nothing to do with work.”

Before she even finishes her sentence, she whacks down hard on the back of her senior partner’s head.

“A-and you’re so violent… I wanna quit, I’m going split with you no matter what. Though Hazel did help me a lot, I did follow her requests and acted as your babysitter for two years…”

She doesn’t know which country he came from, or even asked for his real name and age. All she knows is that he opens a Chinese restaurant, and the unbelievable thing is that he even has a pretty little wife. When the grandmother brought her beloved granddaughter to Chinatown for a meal, the restaurant they headed for was run by his wife, though at that time she didn’t know DT yet.

When they first met in the restaurant, she thought that this woman must have been an oriental princess before she came to America, because no one suited a deep red cheongsam better than her. Even though she was carrying a silver tray full of spoons, plates and bowls, her every move was so graceful, attracting everybody’s attention. Her silky black hair was piled on top of her head, revealing the soft fair skin on her neck. Even April, who is of the same gender, felt that the familiar way with which she used that uniquely designed spoon was very sexy.

But when she asked him, ‘Since you already such a pretty little wife and a booming restaurant business, why are you still doing something like this?’, DT replies indignantly,

‘That restaurant is my wife’s business,’

And as her grandmother’s was dying, April had been suddenly partnered with DT at Fenway Park.

“DT, this girl is called April, she’s my heir, please be partners with her for two years.”

Sixteen-year-old April, with no idea what being modest meant, was furious at her grandmother’s actions, but she believed that with her abilities, she could pull it off. However the truth was, a greenhorn rookie like her couldn’t operate on her own, and even her decision-making skills were only learned after that first year when she barely got to keep her name.

But then, the remaining year is almost over too.

DT steps on the accelerator, saying,

“It’s just next week, the deal of two years ends next week. By then, I’ll be a free man, and I can go back to working alone, all carefree like I used to, and I’ll never have to protect a fine little missy like you again. Although I feel a bit bad about it, but I don’t want to be partners with a teenage girl anymore.”

“Even if you wanted to be partners with me, I wouldn’t want you! Just thinking about it, not having to listen to an old man’s directions, I feel ten years younger.”

“If you were ten years younger than you are now, wouldn’t you just be a little monkey running around…”

“Stop your nagging!”

Because April tapped his shoulder, the entire jeep leans to the right. Just then, a few bullets run holes through the asphalt road, exactly where the car was earlier.

“Uh-oh!”

The duo quickly shirk their heads, and try their best to sink lower into their seats. They sneak a peek behind them, and see two men poking their bodies out of a black Ford sedan, waxed until it shone.

“They dare chase us with such a shiny car. DT, I’m getting ready to counterattack!”

Before DT can reply, she already has the dark green rifle in her hands. Although it’s a small weapon completely contrasting her petite figure, she’s more confident using it than those new recruits.

“You really don’t have an ounce of a pure girl’s heart, asking, ‘Can I counterattack?’… Ah—Fine, you counter, just fight back all you wish! But wait until we cross the state border! I’m not familiar with the cops in the Bay State(1).”

Why would she have what pure girl’s heart!

The driver mumbles, “Really, why did Hazel find such a reckless girl to be her heir?”

Recently, Beacon Hill is full of nothing but those annoying high class sedans.

That’s why, even though it’s Sunday evening approaching dusk, the feeling of riding on a bike and weaving through the queue is super satisfying. Especially when you’re riding a dusty military auction piece down Charles Street with its adorable signs, it’s particularly eye-catching. All the elegant-looking old ladies are frowning, and the couples walking hand in hand whispering.

It doesn’t matter what you say, I’m used to people talking behind my back anyway.

April drives her bike to the tiled automobile entrance, and pulls off the green safety helmet so worn it looks almost black. Although she’s at the back gate, there’s already a fifty-plus-year-old man waiting for her at the door. He’s dressed immaculately in a suit. If she remembers correctly, his tie has never been even a centimeter crooked.

“Welcome back, Young Miss.”

He bows his white head, bending down slightly to accept April’s helmet.

“I’m back, Mr Hobart. Could you please find someone to help me park the bike in the garage?”

Be it to butlers or servants, you always have to respect them, that’s Grandmother’s teaching. Actually, Hobart is a perfect butler, and worthy of respect as an elder in life, and he’s been at this house since before she was born, so she knows him for a longer time than anyone else.

Not only is he April’s first friend, he’s also an existence closer to her than her parents.

“Please, call me Banwart. On the other hand, Young Miss, you are much later than you were expected to be, Master and Mistress left an hour ago.”

“No way? An hour ago? God, whose party is it today? Uh—uh—I think it was something to do with fundraising, right?”

Hobart pushes open the heavy door, continuing slowly,

“It’s the museum fundraising. The evening dress for tonight is already hanging in your closet, it seems Mistress chose it for you. As Louisa’s daughter is delivering, she has gone home. If you don’t mind, Ishtar will help you get ready.”

“Alright, but I think there’s no time to tie my hair now… That Ishtar is the newcomer Brunit’s daughter, right? Can she speak Spanish? Do you think if I ask her, will she teach me like you did?”

“Of course she will.”

April’s German teacher was Hobart. Grandmother ordered her young granddaughter to call him teacher during the six hours of class every week. Mother wanted to employ a professional tutor, disagreeing with Grandmother’s opinion. But it’s thanks to her wonderful educator that not only did her German results improve tremendously, she can now speak German as fluently as she can English.

If she can master Spanish the same way, that’s one more country she can go to without needing a translator.

“I’ll tell Ishtar later. Just in case, I have prepared some simple evening attire for Mr DT as well.”

Having served the household since Grandmother’s generation, Hobart is fairly familiar with Aprils antics and partner.

To protect his company and property, April’s father, as the son-in-law, had heard of this secret from his wife’s parents. But since Grandmother died and to this day, the person who knows most about her underground work is undeniably this butler.

“No point, he’s not coming as usual. But thanks for your consideration, if he knew about it, he would definitely be very happy.”

Every time she asks him, ‘Do you want to come?’, the Asian only smiles craftily, saying, ‘If you want me to go into a place like Beacon with a wealthy little heiress, in some ways you’ll start a commotion.” She’s ashamed of herself for being unable to deny his words, and sometimes she hates herself for belonging to that type of society.

April takes off her shoes roughly, rushing up the stairs barefooted, and then stops at the interval between flights, poking her body over the banister to tell Hobart,

“Oh, yeah, Mama said she would help me choose my dress, don’t tell me it’s the super extravagant pink one, is it? Because if it is, then crap, the sleeves might not fit.”

“…But your figure doesn’t seem to have changed…”

“Come on, congratulate me, I’ve finally got biceps.”

She curves her arms up to show her confused elderly friend.

“April! Why are you dressed like that!”

At first she wanted to sneak in, but then Mama rushes right over.

“I’ve told you a hundred thousand times, but you’re still late. And now that you’ve finally shown up, you’re wearing something so out of fashion? You practically look like a songstress from the Wild West!”

“Mama, you really don’t have an eye for the antique, this was Grandma’s favorite dress! Look at the lace on this collar, it’s so intricate. Don’t you remember this outfit? Back then Grandma wore this dark blue dress to the social world of Europe…”

“Of course I remember! Because you wore the exact same thing to last week’s party!”

Only after her mother mentioned it does she notice it.

Her mother, having received a proper heiress’ education, frowns exaggeratedly, as though the world is ending. And then Mama points at her chest, so April instinctively dodges. Since the person accepting this thing will be here at the party, she had worn it directly.

“And what country did that cheap-looking necklace come from? Whatever, it must have been bought at some strange antique shop. I just can’t stand you! Are you trying to do some voodoo? That style doesn’t fit young girls at all! I say, April, where’s the ruby necklace? The jewelry for this party tonight, didn’t I already match it properly and put it in your dresser?”

Mama, you really can’t tell the worth of this piece. If she knew that her daughter had gotten into a gunfight for it, she would surely faint on the spot.

“But I don’t like to wear stupid pink dresses! Besides if I wear a style like that, the excessive material will make me look even shorter. I’m already small enough, so I have to wear something with more personality!”

“God, what is this child saying… Why are you so uncute.”

April looks around carefully, and there are a few ‘heiresses’ staring directly at the Graves mother and daughter. They have elegant hats on their heads, wearing elegant dresses and even gloves. If they dressed like that in the desert, they’d get a sunstroke within three minutes.

“Everybody, good day—”

April waves her right hand smilingly, and her cousin(2)—the only blonde beauty in her family, the gorgeous Dianne Graves, looks at her uneasily.

She is straightforward, and gentle. She always takes April’s side too, it’s just too bad that she can’t help April in this situation.

“How I wish you would be more like Dianne. Look at her, so feminine and well-bred, and she can converse freely with the gentlemen too.”

“I can also talk with the men… No, I mean, I also frequently chat with the gentlemen, Mother.”

“That’s your biggest problem!”

Truth is, when she has too, April can act like a proper lady too! And she’d wear a dress so long she trips over the hem so many damn times. Not only can she attend a formal party properly, she can also talk right to the men’s hearts. And her specialty is beating those allegedly cultured men in an argument of words, but if they want to compare drinking skills she’s likewise unbeatable.

Thing is, if minors were discovered drinking in this state, they would be immediately arrested.

“Speaking of which, what are those things in your dresser? It’s practically the special corner for cowgirls and jungle explorers. Are you planning to marry to a German farm? Cowboys and whatnot, they’re only suited for games before six-years-old! Like Mama, I was looking for a husband by the time I was eighteen.”

Even if she mentioned her relationships with the opposite sex now, it wouldn’t work, would it.

“Oh, right, April, what did you get from the colleges you visited? If you don’t choose a school carefully…”

“Right, there’s a place in New York with a very unique antique professor…”

“God, a professor! Wouldn’t he be a bit too old?”

Mother doesn’t understand the meaning or purpose of ‘professor’.

“Listen to me closely, April, I’m begging you, please be as elegant and feminine as Dianne, and find a nice person to date, okay? And hurry, so your Papa and Mama don’t have to worry about you all the time. You should know that you are the Graves family’s precious only daughter, after all you inherited your Grandmother’s name.”

But, Mama…

April sighs, pretending not to have heard anything.

Including Mother, most of the family doesn’t know Grandmother’s true identity, and they have no idea how that heroine got enough money to start a large business. The only ones who know the truth about Hazel Graves’ identity after her marriage and childbirth, are probably Grandfather, Father, and the granddaughter, April.

And when Hazel Graves was on the verge of death, the only one present was April. Just thinking about the situation back then, she still feels a chill down her spine, and she even has recurring nightmares, dreaming about her grandmother being covered from head to toe in flames.

That happened when the newly acquired house was being renovated into an exhibition room.

That was the day she personally moved a few important things, things that the family rarely sees, into the house. April felt as though she heard a scream, and so she rushed upstairs. When she pushed open the door to the room her grandmother was in, she saw Hazel and the little coffin there surrounded in flames.

Her entire body covered in blue flames, Grandmother’s expression nevertheless showed not a bit of pain. Even though the flames had burned to the curtains and the carpet, April didn’t feel any heat at all, despite standing nearby. And suddenly she had a mysterious thought, that maybe those flames didn’t belong to this world.

In her dreams, Grandmother would definitely look at April sadly, shaking her head as she said,

‘Never ever touch it.’

I have indeed inherited the Graves’ house and Hazel Graves’ belongings, but that’s not all. Although the contents of the will never mentioned it, April understands deep in her heart, that the things her grandmother gave her can’t be expressed in simply numbers.

Mother reaches out her hand to touch her daughter’s not-long, not-short hair, sighing again deeply. How she wished this daughter of hers could cut a bob or get a perm, or pile her hair on top of her head elegantly like other girls would.

“Look at your hair, it’s so dry. And April, it’s only been a week, so how did you get so dark… Speaking of which, why is there a weird smell on you… Like an odor of dust… or mould.”

Crap! Mama, sorry. Although it wasn’t easy for me to find time to shower, I didn’t have time to wash my hair.

“April, what kind of college did you visit? And what is this worn-out hair ornament? Don’t you have quite a few perfectly luxurious…”

The naggy voice becomes a scream. Turns out there’s an eight-legged animal, around five centimeters in full length, crawling on her white silk gloves.

“Oh my god--! It’s a spider! There’s a spider! There’s a poisonous spider on my hand!”

“Calm down, Mama, it’s not poisonous, it’s just a normal spider. See, it’s the type that builds their webs in sewers or abandoned houses…”

“Why would that kind of thing be living in your hair?”

“Hey, that’s a mean thing to say. It’s not living in my hair!”

Dianne, who was nearby, runs over. She wants to calm the storm over here before it becomes a commotion.

“Aunty, get a grip on yourself. It’s okay, there were always a lot of spiders in the trees in the yard. Here, do you want to rest a little over there? There’s great circulation near the balcony, it’s really comfortable there.”

She carefully leads her aunt to the chair for a seat, and then deliberately runs back through the crowd. She’s not here to scold April for arguing with her mother, but to console her. This cousin of hers, two years older, is a perfectly kind person, so much so it gets on April’s nerves sometimes.

“April, don’t feel too bad about it.”

She thinks to herself, ‘Who’s feeling bad!’

“Actually I was really mischievous too when I was young, and I was scolded by my mother too when I got cobwebs in my hair once. Aunty was surely just a little shocked, I think she’s not upset with you.”

The dark gold hair curling inwards, the slightly puffed up pale red cheeks, and those deep blue eyes twinkling with wisdom and compassion. There’s nothing at all in common between Dianne and her, and no one can imagine that they are cousins, because Dianne’s personality is kind as a saint. She never refutes anyone’s personality, and was never heard saying anything bad about anything.

Dianne Graves is everyone’s ideal woman. All the men in the country are falling over themselves to propose to her, but unfortunately she’s already taken.

As for her partner, he’s almost like a storybook character. If he wore puffy long pants and a hat with a feather, he would be Prince Charming incarnate. He would come fetch her every Monday, Wednesday and Friday evenings in his sky blue car, and would send her home at precisely ten in the night, earning him the nickname of Mr Punctuality.

The Harvard Prince and the academy’s ideal woman. How on earth did such a terrifying couple get together?

“Although Aunty said so already, if you ask me I still think you should choose your college carefully.”

If you had to find a fault with Dianne Graves, it would be that she always mistakes April as her young and helpless cousin. Every year April feels like telling her, ‘Dianne, can you please see the real me?’

“You should learn the things you want to do, or want to learn, and I’m sure Aunty will understand. Although my power is limited, but I will support you. If there’s anything I can help with, just tell me! Oh, right, April, did you hear about the Civil War movie?”

Dianne holds her hand tightly like an older sister, and desperately tries to look for a happier topic of conversation. Seeing her cousin frowning wordlessly, she probably misunderstood that she’s still very dejected.

“I heard that the set is huge. Shall we visit it together? Maybe we can even see some of the actors! Right, also, next month I plan on going to Europe, if you’re free do you want to come along? Eh… April, this is so pretty… I keep thinking… the color scheme is so unique…”

Dianne, who was talking non-stop, suddenly sounds ineligible, as though drunk. April notices something off, but before she can turn away, her cousin’s hand is already wrapped around the striped amber jewelry.

“You can’t!”

“Ah…”

“Dianne?”

In that moment all the blood drains from her face, and her hands droop to her sides. Powerlessly, she falls to the ground like a puppet whose strings were cut.

“Crap! What to do? Dianne, pull yourself together!”

April tries to catch her frantically, but Dianne’s helpless body is heavier than she imagined, and so April sits onto the ground, trying to test her cousin’s breathing. Although her face is as white as paper, and her lips have turned greenish-purple, at least she still has a faint breath.

On the other hand, the striped amber shining red-brown, trying to absorb some more young female life force, is still calling out to its prey. Even though Dianne Graves has lost consciousness, she still lifts her slender fingers in her bid to touch the gem.

“You can’t!”

The people around, who were minding their own business earlier, notice the commotion and start gathering. In no time at all the girls are surrounded by curious onlookers, and receive many curious gazes.

“Can someone please call the doctor, or the ambulance?”

Deciding that no one was going to help, April uses all her strength to lift up her cousin. Right now all she can do is rely on her own strength to slowly move her cousin to a place she can lie down and rest.

“Please, can you help me call the doctor?”

“Just let her lie down like that.”

“Eh?”

April suddenly hears someone talking to her and lifts her head, only to see a uniquely-dressed gentleman weaving through the crowd and walking towards her.

“You can’t lift her with your strength alone, you might even hurt your back instead! Whatever happens, you should just let her lie down where she is. Don’t worry, unconscious people won’t complain about the bounciness of the bed.”

In the hall where everyone is dressed extravagantly, only he is wearing mud-stained leather boots. Not only are those outdated stripes completely out of place in this event, he’s even wearing a panama hat.

He should be in the middle of a long journey. That’s what he looks like in April’s eyes.

The man squats down and takes Dianne’s wrist, checking her pulse with the second hand on his watch. And then he opens her eyelids, and touches her neck, upon confirming her pulse, he lifts the helm of his hat. His black hair is mixed with a pinch of white, but those black eyes behind his sunglasses and he skin on his face look very young. He should be younger than Papa or Mama, probably around thirty approaching forty.

“Don’t worry, she’s fine. There’s nothing to be concerned about, it should be just a slight case of anemia.”

“Who are you?”

Perhaps there’s too much distrust in the question, because he smiles bitterly behind the oval lenses,

“Do you think I’m a suspicious character? I’m a doctor, and I was already practicing when you were born.”

When he smiles, there are wrinkles in the corners of his eyes. The reason he looks younger than his actual age, is probably because of that messy fringe. For a doctor, his manner of speaking isn’t that authoritative either, and besides, there’s a hard-to-place accent.

“Can anyone help this lady onto the bed? Just in case, it’s best to call her primary doctor over for a check-up, we must never let her family worry about her. And then, April…”

Before she can ask him how he knew her name, the doctor’s hand is already reaching out for the striped amber jewelry. Whatever, since it only absorbs ‘the life force of pure innocent young girls’, it wouldn’t affect him.

“You have a special eye for these things.”

“It’s none of your business!”

April turns around and takes the gem, which had darkened again, from the doctor’s hands, and then slowly stands up to give her spot over to Dianne’s boyfriend, who had come over to fuss over her.

“I’m very grateful to you for treating my cousin. But everything else, should have nothing to do with you. And there’s no reason for an outsider like you to interrupt.”

But the man looks like he wants to whistle out loud.

“I see, now I finally understand why Hazel made you her heir.”

“What does that mean?”

He said Grandmother’s name and the job she never revealed to outsiders, so April has no choice but to subtly prepare herself.

“Who are you? Are you Grandma’s friend?”

“He is Hazel’s friend, April.”

She turns around, following that familiar voice, and finds the man she had met several times before smiling the way he always did.

“That’s the item I wanted, right?”

“That’s right, Bob.”

Everyone calls him by that nickname, no one calls his last name. Truth is he does have a last name passed down from his ancestors, but aside from signing contracts, that long line of words has no meaning at all to him.

Most people call him Bob, and this man, known to a certain number of people as the ‘Maou’, had been standing there since a while ago, one hand on his walking stick with a friendly expression.

1. Nickname for Massachusetts

2. The word here in Chinese is ‘older female cousin from my father’s side’.

MaruMA:SideStory01:Prologue

2015-02-05T08:54:08Z

Alaxxis Sade: Created page with "===Prologue=== There are four things in this world that must never be touched. This castle has been broken. And the bloodline of our family will also break here. Watch..."

===Prologue===

There are four things in this world that must never be touched.

This castle has been broken.

And the bloodline of our family will also break here.

Watching the wounded soldiers stretch out two bodies, the man who was until just now the king of this city and country, sighs thus.

In this room highest up in the tower, there’s a mixture of the ministers fighting to the very end, and enemy soldiers here to invade them, making the situation so chaotic it’s hard to tell which side the blood and the bodies belong to.

Stepping on the blood and bodies of both sides, the invader stands straight, and immediately snaps when he sees what his subordinates are carrying,

“Who asked you to kill them? Didn’t I say to bring them to me alive?”

The ones lowered onto the cold stone floor together with the stretcher, are the cold corpses that were once the royal consort and the prince.

Since her body is tightly curled up to protect the baby in her arms, so they can’t see the expression of pain that should be on her face. Her previously beautiful honey-colored hair is stained with blood, plastered to her snow-white skin. Maybe it’s because she had plunged a short sword into her chest, the still-fresh blood has dyed a large part of the clothes on her back red.

“But Your Excellency Englas, by the time we discovered them they were…”

“It’s meaningless if they’re not alive!”

That’s right, if it’s not alive, it’s meaningless.

Held up by four strong soldiers, Robert Belal mutters to himself.

He never told them to kill themselves.

No matter how barbaric the clan, they wouldn’t actually hurt women and children. Although he couldn’t protect them to the end, but to ensure that his wife and young son survives, he had spent a lot of effort convincing them to leave the castle. And still, why did they act so rashly?

Robert calls their names in his rough voice, struggling and trying to break free from the soldiers, so he can touch his beloved family.

His newborn son is in his wife’s arms, so they can’t see the hair color and pale brown eyes he inherited from his father. All they can see is his skinny limbs sticking out from his mother’s embrace, cold and white, like a statue made of wax.

“When we found them on the north bank of the lake, they were long dead. If we were just a little later, their bodies would have sunk into the depths, never to be found.”

There’s a giant lake right underneath the tower north of the castle. Should anything sink into this lake, which is cold in summer but doesn’t freeze in winter, finding it would be impossible. The consort’s aim was to kill herself together the prince, wasn’t it? Rather than watch her country waste away in the hands of foreigners, and live her life in sorrow, it would be better to sleep forever in the icy cold depths.

If he was by their side, they wouldn’t choose this path of no return.

Robert moves his gaze away from the bodies, swearing at the invaders. But strangely he doesn’t lose himself in grief, because he feels that he’ll be able to apologize to the mother and son very soon.

Because he too will soon die in the same place, so they won’t have to wait long.

The huge and burly man called Englar caresses his red-brown mustache as he frets. This man had gathered the Shimaron people, representing the power of the east, and made them into troops to invade other countries, controlling everything with violence.

“At first I thought that if I threatened you with your wife’s life, you would definitely obey everything I say… Now I have to find other sacrifices, but what else can make this man surrender…”

“No matter what dirty tricks you use…”

Robert Belal says, gritting his teeth. The soldiers holding his limbs, are shocked by his next expression into loosening their grips. Because this king is laughing, he’s laughing at the Shimaron soldiers.

Right now, he doesn’t have the time to sink into shame and despair.

“The day you desire will never arrive, no one will be loyal to you Shimarons with no country, and no pride. Since Robert Belal’s son, Peg Belal is dead, my family bloodline dies here too. Your wish will never be fulfilled!”

This king of the fallen country, yells with the power to push aside the soldiers holding him,

“If you can open it, then go ahead and try! The next time the ‘Box’ without a Key is unsealed, forget the name, everything you got will be destroyed by that uncontrollable power! And one of the four Keys that can open the ‘Boxes’, will disappear together with my son’s and my death, never to fall into the hands of evil!”

If he wants world peace, it would probably be best to let the Key vanish. Robert looks at his son’s tiny, motionless hand. On his little arm, there isn’t the mark of inheritance.

This world doesn’t need keys, maybe this is God’s will.

The king thinks it over, and shakes his head.

There aren’t any gods in this world, if there are, then a newly-born, pure and innocent baby would not face such a cruel fate.

The old Shimaron soldier with the highest rank, murmurs into the red-brown-bearded leader’s ear,

“Your Excellency, our army’s influence is spreading very smoothly, we just received the report that Samaluje has fallen to us too. After Laxi, I think it’s a matter of time before Gillesby falls into our hands. Even Belal is now our prisoner…”

The old soldier glances at those pale brown eyes with the silver irises, and is suddenly lost for words, his confidence visibly shaken. But then he immediately refutes the unease in his heart, and continues talking to his boss,

“I think that by tomorrow, even Robert Belal’s men will support you as king, so now there’s no reason to bother about the ‘Box’ any more. Even without that thing, our army will rule this continent.”

“So?”

“In that man’s body… there really exists the Key. His wife and child are already dead, so now it won’t be easy to threaten him into obedience. If we continue harping on the matter of the Box, it will just create an opportunity for other countries. Right now we shouldn’t let the other countries have time to gather their forces, instead we should conquer the entire continent in the one fell swoop to…”

“You mean you want to give up?”

Englar pushes aside the old soldier’s shoulder, yelling in a voice so loud all the soldiers in the tower want to stuff their ears. In his fury, his eyes are bloodshot, his tightly-gripped fist shaking.

“Are you telling me to give up? Telling me, the hero who discovered the legendary weapon, to give up!”

Robert thinks, ‘This guy is possessed. I must never let this man open ‘that’.’

“It took so long for my soldiers to find ‘End of the Wind’, and back then it was my soldiers who found it, so it belongs to me. That is the legendary Box, that is said to release mad gales strong enough to destroy the world when released. The solders should have sent it here by now. Today… That is, right now, I have the power to destroy the world, I can finally end this world with my own hands. If so, why the hell would I give up? What reason do I have to let go of that power!”

Looks like one of the four Boxes, ‘End of the Wind’, has already been found by them.

Robert Belal gives the howling man a look of pity, thinking back to the memories passed down in their family for generations.

Long ago, powerful heroes had waged a war with the Creators who wanted to destroy the world. They put everything on the line, and even committed despicable acts, to seal the Creators into a place where they can’t escape, and the guards to that place are the four Boxes. The Boxes were kept in different places separately, and the Key treated as a symbol of warning, kept in the bodies of each clan leader, to be passed down through the generations.

The four Boxes have four Keys, but each Box only matches one Key.

Even if it’s right there in front of you, if you use the wrong key, it will cause to power to go haywire, causing irredeemable damage. And even if the right Key is used, the user will be swallowed by that power, handing the world over to the Creators just like that.

No matter which way, all it leads to is destruction. And that’s exactly why, these four Boxes

The Boxes are ‘End of the Wind’, ‘Edge of the Earth’, ‘Mirror of the Water’s Depth’, and ‘Inferno on the Tundra’ respectively.

And one of the Keys, lies within the left arm of the human king, Robert Belal.

They must never use it!

“Chop it off!”

The Shimaron man says, madness in his eyes. The soldiers holding down the prisoner look at their boss in surprise.

“…Chop that guy’s left arm off! Either way he won’t obey us any more, since he refuses to use the Key for Shimaron, then just chop off his left arm! You don’t have to take his life. It’s okay as long as we get the Key to open the Box!”

“But Your Excellency, once the power is released, no one can control it!”

“What the hell are you standing around for? Do it now!”

Before the old soldier can stop them, the soldiers, terrified by their master’s expression of fury, have pinned Robert’s left arm and legs onto the dirty stone floor.

And then, with one downward swing of the sword held high over the head, there’s the dull sound of a blade snapping bone and knocking into the stone floor, the thick steel is broken into two, the sliced arteries waiting for a second before spraying warm blood everywhere, the chopped left arm lightly bouncing in the pool of blood.

The fingers gripped loosely into a fist are still moving.

Robert screams, rolling on the ground, breaking free from the enemy’s hold in the process. The rookie soldiers are shocked into stillness, while the old hand has thrown away his reputation as a soldier and turned his face away.

Robert was waiting for this moment!

He kicks the wall by the tips of his toes forcefully, rising in one step, and snatches a sword from a young man frozen on the spot. By the time the livid Shimaron leader yells at his men to fight back, he has already defeated three men despite having only one arm.

“Your Excellency!”

In that moment, all eyes are pulled to the entrance to the room. A messenger soldier with no idea about the chaos within rushes in.

“The Box… The Box has been taken!”

“What?”

Robert doesn’t take this opportunity to run, rushing instead to the center of the room. He tosses his sword at the man trying to stop him, and uses his remaining right arm to grip the ‘Key’ tightly.

He puts his five fingers into the pool of blood, and lifts his own left arm.

And then, hugging the still-warm arm, he quietly walks to the window, shrouded in darkness. He bends his knees and gathers his strength, then grabs the window sill and jumps upwards. All the motion around him looks slowed in his eyes, as though they belong in separate times, because up until now, no one has to catch him.

He turns around for a glance, engraving the image of his wife’s body abandoned by the wall into his mind. The beautiful honey-colored hair is stained with red-black blood, the skin of her neck pale as wax.

Her soul has long since gone.

His young son’s skinny limbs, hang limply underneath the chest embedded with the hilt of the short sword. The man who was once king murmurs their names.

“…I won’t let you wait long.”

Robert Belal uses his armless shoulder to smash the window, and leaps into the darkening sky.

There’s a giant lake right underneath the tower north of the castle. Should anything sink into this lake, which is cold in summer but doesn’t freeze in winter, finding it would be impossible. Looking at the surface of the water , sparkling purple in the remaining rays of sunset, Robert says to the god he praised and prayed to every day,

“Please let this unfortunate Key to disaster and my body sleep peacefully forever in these depths.”

But he knows—

There’s no god in this world. If there were, his son wouldn’t have died so tragically.

Hearing the deep splash of water, a few soldiers finally peep out of the window. There aren’t any ripples, only a quiet purple water surface.

“Did he really fall?” A young man asks. Although they heard the splash, there aren’t any ripples. Even as a living, breathing man sinks, there aren’t even bubbles from his last breaths.

“Go! Get me the Key now!”

Their boss, having lost his sanity, even pushes a rookie out of the window. The body that falls, accompanied with screams, creates a huge splash before sinking into the lake, as the rookie desperately waves his limbs and cries for help.

Everyone runs to the stairs in panic.

As for the messenger completely out of tune with the situation, he just stands there dazedly as he watches the events unfolding before him, all the way until Englar pulls his shirt, forcing him to finally remember his duty coming here.

“You say the Box was taken? Not only did you grab it back, you had the nerve to come here?”

“No, no, we already did our best to prevent it getting taken, it’s just that the opponent is too…”

“Which country?”
“It’s the mazoku.”

The old soldier squatting beside the bodies calls his master with a strange expression. Of everyone there, only he shows respect to the woman who was once royal consort, even helping her clean up the dirt on her body.

The boss turns around, and sees the tiny body the old man pulled out from its protector’s embrace.

“What is it?”

“…This baby, is still breathing.”

You don’t need to look too closely to see that his body is still shaking slightly. His soft and silky dark brown hair, moistened by his mother’s blood, is plastered all over his forehead, and under those slightly open eyelids, are pale brown eyes just like Robert Belal’s, with shining silver irises.

There are still red finger marks around his neck. The old soldier who noticed this, pulls the child’s clothes up higher, as though trying to hide the finger marks.

Englar doesn’t notice, though. He just uses the gaze of one possessed, staring hungrily at the baby’s left arm.

“…Can this guy become the ‘Key’?”

“I don’t know, you still can’t tell at this stage. Once he grows up, we have to see if he will have the same mark as his father.” Or maybe it’ll be just like the king who committed suicide said, and the wish will never come true again. But he doesn’t dare voice that possibility. To let this child live on, it requires a special reason.

MaruMA:Volume10:Short Story

2015-01-30T15:09:21Z

Alaxxis Sade: Created page with "===His Majesty the Maou’s Elegant Day=== ====Life with a Daughter is Really Great==== Greta is back three days earlier than expected. A little later that afternoon, I r..."

===His Majesty the Maou’s Elegant Day===

====Life with a Daughter is Really Great====

Greta is back three days earlier than expected.

A little later that afternoon, I receive the report saying that Greta has returned to the country, and so I hurry up the stairs connecting the halls, taking two steps at once in a mad dash.

The girl who had for some reasons become my daughter, isn’t only the remaining member of a lost royal family, she is also Shin Makoku’s princess.

To ensure her education is completely impartial to both human and mazoku sides, she is currently studying in our ally country, Cavalcade.

Though we exchange letters regularly via pigeon mail, but it’s really been a while since we last met.

Lord Weller, who usually accompanies me when I jog, even laughs and tells me to calm down.

“Your Majesty, there’s no need to hurry so, it’s not like she’s not leaving immediately.”

“Even so, I still want to meet her a second earlier! Conrad, when you have kids of your own someday, you’ll know how I feel.”

“I think even a bachelor will understand those feelings.”

※ ※ ※ ※ ※

Sliding past the slippery stone corridor in one movement, I’m now standing in front of the ornamental door

“Your Majesty, you’re ba…”

Before the soldier can even complete the word, I push past the door and rush into the living hall where my beloved daughter awaits.

“Greta!”

“Yuuri!”

That face with reddish-brown hair and little wavy curls, those handsome red-brown brows, and sun-tanned olive skin, blooms into a smile as she turns around to look at me.

“Welcome home, Gre… Uh…”

I’m ready to rush over to my beloved daughter, but I stop in pure animal instinct.

There’s something here, there’s an unknown life form in the house.

Bzzz! Boom!

My premonition is right, because a large black object flies over my head at a relatively fast speed.

I even feel a gust of wind over my head.

“W-what is that?!”

Bzzz! Boom!

My ears are filled with sound and impact of fastball whooshing past me.

The enemy flies everywhere at top speed, but the breakneck speed also causes it to knock into the living hall walls.

“Greta are you okay…”

“I’m fine, Yuuri.”

Smiling broadly, the girl runs over to me, her arms stretched straight to hug me tightly.

Only her head knocks into my temple, the pain making me nearly forget to breathe.

Bzzz! Boom! Boomboom! Bzzz!

As father and daughter are enjoying our piece of paradise, the black object continues to whiz along, not learning its lesson and still ramming desperately at the wall.

“Your Majesty, Your Majesty--!”

I look towards the source of the voice, only to see the beautiful Royal Instructor and his subordinates hiding behind the throne deep in the room.

That familiar bald head is glittering in the afternoon sunlight.

“What’s up? Günter.”

“It’s dangerous, Your Majesty! Please don’t mind us, and leave this room immediately!”

“That’s right, Your Majesty! That guy is really dangerous! That guy is really dangerous!”

Lord von Christ Günter and his merry men who he likes a lot for some reason, are all desperately warning me with expressions of dread.

“Yuuri, listen to me, Günter and Dakaskos are exaggerating. I already said it isn’t dangerous at all.”

Just as I’m pondering over who to believe, the black object whizzes past my head at an incredible speed again. It hits the ceiling above, and even bounces back down.

“Ah, so it’s a rare insect.”

One of the last to enter, Conrad is the calmest. He pushes me and Greta from behind, making us squat down.

“Lie low, right now it’s only spinning around the ceiling.”

“Spinning? Waa--! It’s flying with a buzz! W-w-what is that thing? What weird thing ambushed Greta?!”

“You misunderstood, Yuuri! I wasn’t ambushed, that’s a friend I made on the way here!”

“A friend? You made friends with a rare insect?”

Since Conrad already called it a ‘rare insect’, then something that makes a disgusting noise and flies all over the place should probably be
an insect.

“Mn! It’s the reason I could get back three days earlier!”

“Greta, you didn’t let that thing carry you back, did you?!”

The girl’s large eyes narrow in humor.

“Don’t be silly, Yuuri, human can’t fly in the air. It’s nothing like what you imagined, it was actually a large flock of buzzing cicadas that helped tow our boat. The speed really was incredible, it was no different than surfing the waves!”

Buzzing cicadas?

That’s a cicada? You say that huge thing is a cicada?

Just then, Conrad lets out an admiring sigh that doesn’t fit the moment at all.

“That’s right, that’s a legendary creature. Your Majesty, if that really is a buzzing cicada, then it should have made that once-in-six-hundred-years voyage across the sea to get here. Greta, where did you hear the name of this cicada from?”

“From the insect-loving captain, he was even crying tears of joy because he got the rare buzzing cicada’s leg hairs.”

“Leg… hairs…”

Right then, due to the extreme impact of crashing into a wall, the legendary animal makes a dry ‘pasha’ noise and falls onto the ground.

It’s really huge, way taller than I am.

It’s lying on the ground in an ugly belly-up position, frantically moving its six hairy legs, desperately trying to get back up.

To someone like me who was born on Earth, grew up in Japan, and lives in Saitama district, it doesn’t look like a cicada however I look at it…

“Wait! This shouldn’t be a cicada, it’s the thing that starts with ‘cockro-’, isn’t it?! Isn’t this the one that always shows up in kitchens, the insect that I hate the most and starts with ‘cockro-’?!”

In that instant I’m covered in goosebumps from head to toe.

Just looking at that shiny body, the brown wings, and the long feelers…

“Of course not, Yuuri, no matter how you look at it it’s a cicada!”

“That’s right, Your Majesty, it’s obviously a cicada!”

Really?!

“Is the buzzing cicada you’re talking about that rare insect that hibernates in the soil for seven days, lives on the surface, and has a very strong life force?”

“That’s what the insect-loving captain said too… Hey!”

“Ah, Greta, don’t touch it with your hands!”

How did this happen? My adorable daughter actually touched a cockro-- No, a rare cicada’s stomach with her hands, and even flipped it over.

“Like this is OK already, relax—Greta used to be a cicada in my past life too.”

“Please, Greta! When someone starts talking about their past life, they’re done for!”

“Yuuri, look, they really listen to me! Señor, sit, shake hands! Hey, why aren’t you shaking hands?”

Maybe the giant cock… cicada isn’t in a very good mood, so it refuses to obey Greta.

But regardless of whether it’s a cicada or a horned beetle without horns, forcing a giant insect to shake hands is too much, isn’t it? And yet the girl continues to repeat the simple order patiently.

Right now, in the center of the living hall, there’s the persistent scene of a cicada staring down Greta.

Although it seems to be two meters long, it does seem to be a very safe insect.

Even the adults hiding and shivering behind the throne start approaching the child and insect cautiously.

I heave a sigh of relief and then throw my head back.

As a result, right in my field of vision when I look up, meaning that corner of the ceiling that people tend to hate, there’s something exactly the same as the thing just now.

“Waleh!”

It’s a second bug.

“T-twin cicadas?”

“They’re not twins, Yuuri. That one is Señorita, Señor’s wife, they’re really loving too~ Though both are male.”

“Both male?!”

“Yup, that’s right. Just like my fathers, right?”

Although I don’t want to elaborate on what she means by ‘fathers’, but she should mean me and Lord von Bielefeld Wolfram, right?

I just never thought that, in my beloved daughter’s eyes, my position is at the same level as a rare insect, Papa feels so bad he wants to cry~

“I’m great friends with Señorita and Señor, y’know. Right, Señor? Oh yeah, you guys should say hi to Yuuri too!”

“Chiuuii—n!”

“Waa!”

The insect suddenly makes a painful and piercing supersonic wave. It’s the dentist, that’s the sound of the teeth-grinding equipment you only find at the dentist’s!

“He says he’s glad to meet you.”

“I get it, I get it! Please spare me!”

Even if that really was a sound of happiness, it still has a great destructive force against Japanese people.

Even though it’s a rare opportunity, but I am really unable to be good friends with rare insects.

On another note, since when did my daughter become a master at controlling cicadas? Though now isn’t the time to worry about such minor details.

Although I’m not married yet, but since I’ve made it my goal to be a good father, I am now faced with something that requires an immediate decision.

When children make friends with animals, it’s easy to guess what they will say next, and Greta is no exception.

“Yuuri~ Can I keep Mr and Señorita?”

Large red-brown eyes sparkling, Greta tilts her neck and asks.

“Can I, please~?”

When faced with such an adorable plea, surely no father can find it in him to say no.

Or, maybe there is a father like that, but for a sixteen-year-old, unpopular with the ladies, single father, that is mission impossible. “Ahh—Fine! But you can only keep them in the courtyard, and you can’t ever let them onto your bed, got it?”

“Thanks—Yuuri I love you the most!”

Greta wraps her suntanned arms around my neck, her entire body suspending in mid-air.

From her body hugging mine so tightly, there’s a faint smell of seawater.

“Alright, Greta, I heard you!”

Looks like this child learned something else besides history and politics with Mr Hiscliff in Cavalcade.

“I’m so happy, this is great! Señor, Señorita, hurry up and thank Yuuri!”

“Chiuuii—n!”

“Waa~ That’s enough, dentist! There’s no need to thank me anymore, really, there’s no need!” Quick, let them leave the room! Let them fly freely in the sky!”

“Mn!”

But the cicada couple keeps on hesitating and lingering, completely refusing to obey orders.

They’re just insects, but they act spoiled.

“What’s the matter… Ah, maybe they’re hungry.”

“If so, there’s all the more reason for them to look for food outside! Don’t cicadas feed on tree sap? So they should go to the forest and find delicious trees!”

Lord Weller quietly heaves a somewhat meaningful sigh, he seems to know some unspeakable truth.

“This may not be anything interesting, but…”

“Just say it, whatever it is, just spill it!”

“A rare insect’s diet is a bit more unique compared to normal cicadas.”

“What do you mean by unique?”

Conrad uses his thick fingers to rub Greta’s hair as he says,

“They suck blood, not sap.”

Blood!”

That’s not even ‘Oh~ the sweet liquid that flows out from the butts of the pests on the canola flowers’!

“…In other words, they’re terrifying blood-sucking insects?”

This time Señorita makes a ‘Chiuuiin!’ sound with a questioning tone, this seems to be the way they show affection.

“But it doesn’t have to be human blood specifically, and from what I heard, they only need a minimal amount of blood, so we cannot simply conclude that they are pests.”

Something occurs to me suddenly, and I grab Greta’s shoulders frantically,

“Greta, don’t tell me they’ve already sucked your blood on the way here, and now your thoughts are under their control?!”

“No, they didn’t suck Greta’s blood, the insect-loving captain mentioned this before too. He said that buzzing cicadas are chivalrous by nature, so they never feed from a creature smaller than them. Mr Captain let them suck his blood out of respect, but it really was only a little. Just a little blood can sustain them for three, four days, and they even repaid the favor by towing the ship really fast.”

“I see, so it took a lot of energy.”

“Now isn’t the time to admire them, Conrad.”

And the situation is really dire, too.

The chivalrous rare insect couple who allegedly never feed from anything smaller than them, are now busily swiveling their heads to look around them, seemingly having locked onto their target.

They’ve locked onto the odd master-servant combination of the beautiful man with shiny pretty long hair, and the cowardly commoner with his shiny scalp, and proceed to walk slowly towards them.

“Eeek--!”

Günter and Dakaskos let out screams that embarrass even the onlookers, and are even being forced slowly to the sides.

“Just a tiny bit of blood, Günter! Just a little bit! It’s like being pricked by a needle… probably.”

“E-e-e-even so, Your Majesty! I didn’t live to this day only to supply blood to this kind of cicada… Uyaaaa!”

“Ah, if we’re pricked by that kind of tube! Ahh, save me! Blin!”

Farewell, I thank you two from the bottom of my heart. Lord von Christ Günter, Lilit Latchie Etcetera Dakaskos.

We will never forget your brave sacrifice.

Conrad and I watch the two men pinned onto the ground by the passionate giant cicadas, and chat in calm tones.

“They are cicadas, after all. Only cicadas have tubes like that, not cockroaches.”

“Let’s put that aside for now, Your Majesty. Do you want to organize a party to welcome Greta home tonight?”

“Mn, let’s do that, and it’ll be enough to invite just a few close friends. Also, don’t call me Your Majesty! Don’t forget that you were the one who gave me my name.”

“Sorry, Yuuri, I just can’t get rid of that habit.”

And then Greta hugs my waist, lifting her head and looking at me with those wide innocent eyes,

“Yuuri, tell me, do you like them? Do you like Señor and the others? Does this help your rare animal collection?”

“Rare animal collection?!”

Why would I collect something like that?

We only planned to invite a few familiar friends and family to Greta’s coming-home party, but under an unusually energetic Günter’s planning, it became a rather large-scale banquet.

“You look lively, Günter.”

“That’s right, Your Majesty! It’s unbelievable, right now I’m mentally, spiritually and emotionally in top form. There’s no way to describe it, as though there’s some force welling up from deep within my body.”

Günter with his beautiful face flushed red, grips his fists and says, panting non-stop in between, as though he’d gulped down an entire Red Bull in one go.

“Ha--! My spirit has been released from all manners of obstructions, ha--! I feel like a brand new person, ha! Come to think of it, it must have been because of the rare insects’ feeding, allowing me to decisively abandon all the conservative views tying me down, ha---!”

“I think you abandoned a lot of things a long time ago.”

As for my situation, I’m tied down as it is dealing with the people taking this opportunity to ask for a meeting or offer gifts, and at the end I couldn’t find time to stay with my most important Greta.

By the time the banquet finally ends, it’s already late in the night, long past a good child’s bedtime, and also a baseball boy’s bedtime.

Taking off her boots, Greta makes a noise of dissatisfaction as she walks on the ice-cold floorboards bare-footed.

Perhaps because she wears higher heels like an adult, the girl’s soles are red and swollen.

※ ※ ※ ※ ※

“Ehh—Why can’t I sleep with Yuuri?”

Looking at her upset expression, I can’t help but hesitate at her question.

But Greta’s already ten-years-old, and even though I live in a Japanese townhouse, otherwise known as a ‘Little Rabbit House’, I’ve been sleeping alone since I started elementary school, so I need to train her to sleep alone in her room as well.

Sobbbb—It hurts to be apart from my kid~

It’s just like what they say, you only learn to appreciate your parents when you have kids of your own. Greta frowns her handsome brows, saying,

“And I thought that since Wolf isn’t around today, I can have the spot beside Yuuri all to myself.”

“But Greta, unmarried young ladies should always sleep alone, y’know!”

“Then Greta will marry Papa now!”

“Father and daughter cannot get married.”

I think to myself,

‘How many times will I get to hear such touching words?’

And then I wipe away my tears inwardly. In that sense, I really am like a dad.

“How—Bo—ring—And I even wanted to teach you Mr Shiny’s special one-of-a-kind secret relaxing massage!”

“O-one-of-a-kind secret?”

To be honest I kinda want to try, but I’m forced to pass tonight.

Just then, Miss Anissina walks past us, with a few drunkards tied up and tossed over her shoulders.

As for what she plans to do with those men, that seems to a secret we must never ask about.

“Aiya! Your Majesty, look at you, all panicked and flustered. If it’s a problem my magical inventions can fix, I’m more than eager to help. Please do not misunderstand, my goal isn’t to ask for a higher budget, I simply wish you can draw a description of before and after use, as well as answer a survey on your thoughts.”

She suddenly tosses her high dark red ponytail, then roughly throws down her drunk luggage.

“Then, Greta, to ensure that you won’t feel lonely tonight, please use this masterpiece of mine.”

I’m not sure if it was majutsu or really a magical invention, but Lady von Karbelnikoff Anissina pulls out half a dozen pillows from goodness knows where.

“This is called ‘Magical Invention Pillow Army’s I Wanna Sleep In Your Arms’! Right, which do you want? The Red Sleep Troop for that burning hot sense of justice and a dead sleep, the Blue Sleep Troop for a cool and handsome guy to sing you a lullaby, the Green Sleep Troop with herbal fragrances for a good night’s rest, the Yellow Sleep Troop that guarantees you will say ‘I can’t eat in anymore’ in your sleep, and the adult-only pillow that ensures a naughty dream—the Pink Sleep Troop. And the ultimate one is this, the Silver Sleep Troop that lets you relive happy memories. By the way, although the all the outside wrappers are dirt-yellow, but they’re all made of sandbear bamboo leaves that allegedly emit electrons.”

“Amazing! So you’re using the power of magical inventions to increase sleep quality?”

“There’s also the Spoiler Pillow for finding out the ending to a story you haven’t finished watching, and the Repentance Pillow that creates
an intense discomfort that will ensure the user never gets any sleep. Right, Greta, choose a magical invention pillow that you like.”

“Hmm, Greta wants…”

These pile of streamlined pillows that the world has never seen the likes of before, seems to have chased away all the child’s weariness.

“It’s best not to choose the pink one, that one suits your father better, everything other than that is okay.”

Finally Greta takes the long green pillow, then mischievously leaves a goodnight kiss on my cheek before leaving my bedroom.

Left behind, we look at the pile of sleeping apparatus with no idea what to do next.

Perhaps following my gaze, Conrad silently says by my ear,

“You’ve been staring at the pink pillow since just now… Do you want to try?”

“Of course, for a guy without any luck with the ladies, that’s the basic entertainment. It’s the same as wanting to sneak a peek at the paid channels on hotel TVs.”

The half of Lord Weller’s face I see has no hint of displeasure, just the expression of a kindred soul.

“Since you sound so determined, then I won’t stop you, go ahead and take it. Your Majesty is in the middle of puberty, and you should learn how to take responsibility for your own actions.”

“But Günter is looking over here with a scary glare.”

“…I see.”

He touches his chin with his thumb and pointer, thinking for a moment, then he picks up the pink pillow.

And Günter says with an expression of surprise,

“Conrad, you want to take the pink pillow?”

“Your surprise makes me feel rather uneasy now, but after all I am a lonely bachelor. Or do you want to use this pillow? If so, you can have it.”

“N-no, I don’t need it! How could I do something so shameless! Besides I’m the kind of person who can’t sleep at all if I change pillows!”

“You’re really sensitive, huh! Then here, Your Majesty, take this one, occasionally indulging in memories of the past isn’t a bad idea.”

Conrad hands over the silver pillow, but if it’s not the pink one, everything else is the same to me, so he tells the disappointed me in a small voice,

“We’ll exchange later.”

“Then I’ll give the remaining red and blue ones to Lord von Voltaire to try then. Which magical invention pillow will triumph in the end? What torture…I mean. what kind of sleep will Gwen endure this time? It’s so intriguing.”

So she doesn’t plan on trying out any one of the pillows herself, relying on everyone else to collect data.

Anissina always looks so happy, and those sky blue eyes shine with a gleam of danger different from knowledge and curiosity even this late at night.

Poor Gwen, all I can do is wish him a happy and fulfilling life.

“That’s great~ The substitute batter in the training match hits a high ball out of the park, it’s out of the park…”

Unfortunately, it doesn’t seem to have an option to choose the dream settings.

Normally, Covenant Castle’s morning activities start really late. After Lord Weller and I complete our daily jog, only then will everyone else in the castle start their activities.

The people in the kitchens and army camps would naturally get busy with their own duties, but in truth the ones in charge of the castle’s operation, Lord von Christ and Lord von Voltaire, almost always use flexible working times.

But today is an exception.

Before dawn even breaks, Conrad wakes me up, saying there’s a special agenda today.

“Did you have nice dreams?”

“Mn… I kept dreaming that I was swimming with a lot of scary male maidmers… Does that count as a happy experience from my past?”

“Childhood memories tend to be very blurry. I’m sorry we couldn’t exchange, because by the time I got back to the room you were already sound asleep.”

I sit on the bed and stretch hard.

Maybe because I slept all curled up, the muscles around my spine feel taut.

“Exactly! That awkward banquet wore me out so much, so I accidentally fell dead asleep within three seconds. I didn’t even notice that Wolf came back early in the morning.”

Lord von Bielefeld who had only returned early on the second day, yawns hugely next to me.

“Really~ Your pretty boy image is all ruined.”

“Shah yaw twap (Shut your trap)!”

“Although the two of you just woke up, and you’re not completely clear-headed yet, I must ask you to finish your breakfast as quickly as possible. Anyway, we have to finish this before Greta wakes up. Wolfram, are you eating breakfast?”

Conrad waves the servant in without waiting for an answer. The familiar servant enters quietly, pushing a silver breakfast cart,

“You’re eating, right, Wolf? If you don’t eat breakfast you won’t grow taller. Oh, yeah, you’re already eighty-two, you probably won’t grow anymore anyway.”

“I’m fine with just tea, I drank a bit too much last night.”

Despite being a blonde-haired green-eyed pretty boy, he actually drank until he was hung over. After hearing him say that, I notice that his face is a little swollen too, and maybe it’s psychological, but it looks like his skin is also a little oily.

“Oh, yeah, you actually left halfway through the event yesterday, where did you go… Ah, sorry, I accidentally intruded into your privacy there. Truth is I didn’t mean to ask you about your love life.”

Besides, in a moment you’ll be boasting about it until even the dog is tired of it.

“What love life? Of course not, I had just had an old acquaintance come visit. Don’t think that I’m frivolous like you!”

“Yes yes yes, sorry.”

I try an egg dish from the plates on the food trolley.

“But still—I’m slightly a bit relieved now.”

“Relieved?”

“To know that you have friends of your own age too. Ah, even if it’s a different age group, that’s fine too! Because you look so young yet you’re cooped up in the castle all the time, so I was worried that maybe you didn’t have friends. You should be the one to initialize old boys gatherings sometimes, and meet up with your friends from your student days.”

“Thanks for being a busybody!”

He just leaves the hot red tea he took on the tabletop on the bed, taking not even a sip.

The pretty boy who seems to have low blood pressure hides back into the covers.

Looks like he plans to sleep until the afternoon.

“Hey, that’s really unhealthy, how could he have drank until he can’t even get out of bed.”

Seeing his younger brother look so messed-up, Conrad smiles exasperatedly.

“There’s no choice, looks like Lord von Bielefeld is on sick leave today.”

“What did you mean by special agenda? What are our plans exactly?”

Carrying my steaming hot breakfast, I move to the living hall, buttoning up my familiar student uniform with one hand, and getting ready for a hard day’s work.

“Allow me to explain about the drill!”

The tall man completely HIGH so early in the morning, walks past the large open doors fabulously. It’s Lord von Christ, tossing his long pale grey hair.

“G-Günter. Why are you so spirited today?”

“Of course! Good morning, Your Majesty. The weather today is sunny as usual, the southwest breeze makes the temperature exactly the same as it was in previous years, so overall it’s a very suitable day for an assassination drill.”

“Assassination drill?!”

Rows of black-clothed ninjas immediately float into my mind. ‘General, your petty life is mine!’ And shuriken, smoke bombs, suiton no jutsu(1), nyanmage, Nikko Edomura. Is it Nikko? Or is it Edo? Is it a zoo? Or a village?(2) Tell me properly!

And now, y-you want m-me to do that sort of thing?!

“T-this country requires that their king must personally participate in assassination missions? N-no way, assassination isn’t a good thing. Although it definitely isn’t a good thing, but if the circumstances force for it… Eh—maybe it’s safer to follow Golgo(3)? You guys know that I’m not strong enough to bat fatal home-runs, and I don’t have shoulders hard enough to block a runner’s head either.”

“T-that’s too much, Your Majesty!”

The super beautiful man’s brows slant downwards exaggeratedly, and he even shakes his head with a nervous force, that immaculately combed long hair of his floating left and right with it.

“We would never let Your Majesty the Maou personally take action. This is for His Majesty’s personal safety, a drill to strengthen the people’s reaction in the face of emergency.”

“Ahh, so that’s what it was! So you’re not telling me to practice killing other people, you want me to practice how not be killed by others. Ahh—That’s great, I thought I’d be forced to hold a rifle with a red laser point, and then to draw my eyebrows real thick(3).”

“This is a duty all generations of Maou have diligently performed every year… Except for Her Majesty the Former Maou Cheri.”

“Why was Lady Cheri the only exception?”

“About that…”

Günter looks into the distance with a sorrowful gaze, as though reliving some bitter memories.

“Because there is no one in this world who can possibly hurt Lady Cheri. Not only that, even if a hundred powerful soldiers were sent after her, they still wouldn’t be able to hurt a hair on her head.”

“So strong, is she really that amazing?”

He unknowingly heaves another long and meaningful sigh.

“More than that. Any man who approaches her with the intent to kill, will always be completely bedazzled by her and suffer the consequences…”

“Wait a sec, Günter, if you say it like that then it means something else altogether. You mean Lady Cheri has had to face plenty of assassination attempts?”

And I thought Shin Makoku’s security was really good, who knew it’s not peaceful at all.

“I understand what you mean. It’s because I’m a novice that’s easy to assassinate, so I have to rely on anti-assassination drills to learn how to deal with danger?”

“You misunderstand, Your Majesty! Günter never thought of you as some novice! Your Majesty is like… Right, if you want me to describe it, you’re like a hundred lilies ‘no’dding in the valley wind, or a saint full of wisdom and ‘vi’sion, or a single blossom blooming in the dry desert crevi‘ce’.(4)”

“—Rather than listening to your convoluted logic, I’d rather you tell me directly that I’m a novice.”

“Anyway, we have to complete this task before Greta wakes up.”

Conrad pours steaming hot tea into a cup as he continues,

“If that child hears the word ‘assassination’, I fear it will hit her hard. At first we had planned to do this before she returned, but we didn’t expect her to arrive early with the rare insects’ help.”

“—That’s right.”

This reminds me of my exciting first encounter with Greta.

Although she had no other choice, the truth remains that that child held a knife and tried to take my life.

And just because the past cannot be changed, she herself is very depressed about it.

A ten-year-old girl has to fight desperately against her past mistakes.

“I don’t want Greta to be tortured any further. All right, I’ll finish eating immediately, let’s start as soon as possible.”

I bite into the fragrant bread fresh out of the oven, looks like there’s no time to savor my food today.

The drill in the city… is like going into a haunted houses, learning how to keep calm even as soldiers jump out from behind the corners of the streets, dressed as monsters, and then… Having successfully passed this stage, we still have to lead our companions away from the streets, and after that it’s time to practice during a procession through the city square.

“…There’s no one on the streets, huh.”

The stone white and cream streets, usually teeming with people, are currently surprisingly silent.

“Well, of course. For this assassination drill, we have long since notified all of the city’s inhabitants that before twelve, this area is an off limit ‘Pedestrian Hell’.”

“Pedestrian Hell… If we conduct a drill in a set piece like this, it won’t have much effect when dealing with the actual situation…”

“Usually this time in the morning is when the market and the shopping street is the most crowded, otherwise known as the business golden period.”

“Waa, goodness! Actually there’s absolutely no need to ask all the citizens to cooperate with a drill about something that may or may not happen.”

“But all the people of Shin Makoku are Your Majesty’s servants, as long as it’s beneficial to Your Majesty, they should close their shops and cooperate fully, waiting in their houses with bated breath and praying that the drill goes smoothly.”

“Günter, listen to me! I don’t want to be hated by the people due to something like this…”

Just when we’re turning around the corner of a shop with a sign saying ‘Cow AND Frog’—

“Archers, get ready--!”

“Waa!”

Lord von Christ’s beautiful face hardens, and he issues orders with his clear melodic voice.

This is coming from somewhere that can be considered the roofs, and suddenly a group of archers we couldn’t even see a second earlier stand up. Terrified, I hold my head and squat down, afraid of getting hit.

But the cream of the crop chosen from within the borders of Shin Makoku, aren’t aiming at us, but the wooden boards that suddenly popped up in the corners of every house.

There are ten of them altogether, and different people are drawn onto each one.

Not only are they colored, each is drawn to the character’s size. There’s the vendor selling bananas, an old man with a crystal ball, a housewife with a bunch of stuff in her arms.

Hmm? A housewife?”

“What is this! You accidentally shot a missus going shopping?! Really, that’s horrible. How could you harm the innocent citizens?”

Lord von Christ puts his arms on his hips, laughing heartily,

“Your Majesty, please examine the things in that woman’s hand carefully.”

“Eh?”

I look closely at the woman painted onto the board. She looks like an extremely normal housewife, even holding a bag full of groceries. There’s even a baguette poking out by about 15 centimeters.

“Is there anything especially weird…”

“Please examine that baguette. It may look like bread, but it is in fact the sheath of a sword! Why would a young housewife doing groceries hide a weapon such as a long sword? Because that woman is an enemy assassin disguised as a housewife, thankfully our excellent national security saw through her ruse.”

“Eh, but that looks a lot like a normal bread. Even if it is a sword, maybe her husband just asked her to collect it from the blacksmith’s, if so, what should we do? That’s the same as a wife helping her husband collect his suit from the dryers!”

“I-I understand, but that is impossible.”

Lord von Christ still pretends to be calm, flipping the two-faced board over and reading the words on the back.

“Evil Association Female Employee Number Three, codenamed ‘Pure Love Young Missus’. Although she looks cute, her heart is cold and cruel. However hard the mission, she can calmly carry out her orders, without a shred of personal emotion. Her weapon is the throwing knife hidden on her thigh. The thing sticking out from the bag may look like a sword, but it is actually bread… Phew~ Thank goodness, she really is the enemy.”

“So that really is a baguette! By the way, are all these human-shaped pop-up boards so detailed?!”

“But of course, Your Majesty. Because these are all the masterpieces all the human-shaped pop-up board specialists spent an entire year creating. Also, this one is codename ‘Working Vendor’, and that’s ‘Ludicrous Fortuneteller’, and the one fallen over there is the coordinator, ‘Cat-Loving Khrushchev’(6).”

“Khru… so he likes cats? Wait, there isn’t a need to create such detailed human-shaped pop-up boards, is there?”

I suddenly feel sympathy for the boards that had been shot through and fell behind shop corners and barrels. Why do I care so much about something so petty?

Lord von Christ tilts his face skywards, saying proudly,

“Why do you think about the hundred per cent hit rate, Your Majesty? Are you satisfied with our national security’s performance… Mmph!”

Suddenly there’s the sound of splattering mud, and something dirties Günter’s beautiful hair.

Turns out a bird just gliding over dropped a ‘bomb’ onto his head, the sticky white-and-green fluid oozing down his forehead.

※ ※ ※ ※ ※

The previously silent Conrad shrugs and says,

“Looks like we’re not prepared to face aerial attacks.”

“Don’t tease Günter like that, Conrad, that’s mean. If it was just a few centimeters off… See, it might have gotten me, now Günter’s more or less taken the poop hit for me.”

“…That’s right.”

“Ah?”

The two of us can’t really hear what the Education Minister is saying with his head bowed, so we ask in unison. Lord von Christ Günter’s clenched fist is shaking.

When he raises his solemn face, his eyebrows are arched high, his mouth pressed tightly shut in anger, his violet eyes burning with an almost visible blue-white flame.

“That bird… That bird is a terrorist aiming for His Majesty! What are you standing around for? Get that impudent bird for me at once! And after you catch it use a pan and make a fried bird feast!”

“Wait a sec, wait a sec, Günter! That’s too much! Poop can’t kill anyone, bird poop can’t kill me!”

“Your Majesty, how can you be okay with this! It is obviously a hateful assassin sent by the enemy to disrupt and destroy our country. I heard that there are people in the West who can chant and make birds sing songs, as easily as they would control their own limbs.”

“Are you talking about the Birdman Rally(7)?”

“No, I’m not too sure what they’re called… Anyway, someone, get that bird, g-get it now, now!”

Looks to me like he’s blown his top, this way even I can’t handle him. Shrugging ‘he’s hopeless’, Conrad tells the soldiers waiting with bated breath,

“Lord von Christ has lost his mind, call the supervising officer or Gisela over.”

He has a supervising officer? But before the person in charge arrives, something even bigger happens on the streets of the drill. In this Pedestrian Hell where even an ant can’t get it, and in front of the king protected by the elite national security team, there appears a boy considerably younger than me.

“Your Majesty…”

“H-how did you get in…”

And he’s holding a large sword in his hands.

Although it’s sheathed, you can more or less see its length and weight.

That’s not a weapon a normal child can wield.

“There’s a villain--! I’ll vanquish you!”

“Wait a sec! Calm down, Günter—”

Conrad avoids the agitated Education Minister, scrutinizing the other person’s face.

“I wondered who it was, you’re the blacksmith Zikode’s youngest son, right? I remember he comes in and out of the city to repair farming and kitchen equipment. What’s your name? Why are you holding such a large sword?”

The boy who looks to be about twelve, looks around uneasily with his grey eyes as he says,

“I’m called Helio. Um, um, this is… This is the sword my father made for the king. He said he must give it to His Majesty the Maou…”

“Then Helio, why didn’t Zikode bring it into the city himself? Can’t he just come into the city on the day we accept gifts and ask to meet the king? And there was a notice put up since yesterday, that because of today’s drill, this place is a ‘Pedestrian Hell’ that no one can pass.”

The boy’s voice is shaking so much it’s hard not to feel sorry for him, but we still have to hear him explain clearly first.

“I know that, of course I do. But no matter what, I want to bring this most amazing sword to His Majesty while my father still lives, because this is his greatest dream.”

“While he lives… What does that mean?”

He falls to his knees, his tiny body bowing to me non-stop after I interrupted, pleading,

I’m begging you, Your Majesty, this is my father’s dream ever since he took over the family business and started making farming equipment. He said just once is okay, but he must give the best sword to Your Majesty before he dies.”

The boy offers up the unsheathed sword.

The hilt is engraved beautifully with plants, and there’s not a speck of imperfection on the blade.

Rather than to use it in battle, that intricate sword body would be more useful as a decoration to show status.

I slowly raise my hands, reaching for the piece of art in Helio’s hands.

“We gladly accept.”

“Your Majesty… Really?”

“Of course, really. Tell your father, thanks for giving me such an amazing thing.”

The boy finally relaxes, those grey eyes filled with unease now drowned in tears.

Just as the tips of my fingers are going to touch the cold metal—

“No!”

I’m just thinking, ‘Why is this voice so familiar?’, and before I can even turn around, a gust of wind blows past my waist. I want to reach out for the shoulder of the voice’s owner, but the child’s agile body brushes past my arm, crashing unhesitatingly into the boy standing before me.

“Ah!”

Helio flips backwards and falls to the ground, while the sword held loosely in his hand drops onto the stone ground, making a clear noise. Conrad very quickly picks it up.

“Greta?!”

The girl with her olive skin and red-brown wavy curls is standing between the boy and me, slender arms spread as wide as they can go.

The one who tripped over the blacksmith’s son, is Greta, who was so tired last night she should still be sleeping now.

“I’m not going to let you touch a hair on Yuuri’s head! I won’t let you touch him!”

The reddish-brown eyes are shining like a cat’s, trying to scare the opponent she considers her enemy.

Because of the agitation and nervousness, her shoulders are even shaking slightly.

She only has on a coat over her pajamas, and her hair is still over the place after waking up.

“Greta will never forgive anyone who tries to hurt Yuuri!”

“…Eh… Why would I dare do anything that would hurt His Majesty…”

As a result, Helio is the one shocked despite being older, falling onto his butt as all the blood drains out of his face.

The soldiers from the security squad grab his arms to help him up.

I put my hands on my brave daughter’s shoulders, comforting her,

“You misunderstood, Greta. This child only wanted to help the blacksmith give me a sword.”

“But he held the sword at you!”

“He wanted to give it to me.”

“I don’t care!”

Greta shakes her wavy curls, interrupting me. Her voice comes out like a scream.

“I don’t care, Yuuri! He could very well be lying. Or maybe he made that up so he could get closer to you!”

“How is that possible, he is just a kid, you know?”

“No way!”

It’s just a simple denial, but her voice is full of sorrow, and so small it’s barely audible.

But soon the tone becomes full of intense emotion again.

“Precisely because it’s a kid, it can’t be trusted.”

She roars agitatedly, her back colliding into me. So hot.

“You can’t say it’s not a bad guy just because it’s a kid.”

“Why…”

“Because Greta is a bad kid!”

She’s still standing with her arms wide open in front of me, trying to protect me.

“Greta tried to hurt Yuuri! I tried to—to assassinate you. Even though I’m a kid, even though I’m just a kid, but I’ve done some bad things
too, I’ve done things that can never be forgiven, I committed a crime! That’s why you can’t trust them just because it’s a kid! Since he’s holding a weapon, then… then he… is not a good kid!”

The voice slowly becomes rougher, and vanishes. I think,

‘Don’t cry, please don’t cry anymore. You don’t have to try to make up for it so desperately, I don’t want you to fight so desperately with the mistakes of your past.’

I squat down, forcing her to face me, and then I hug her tightly. There’s the faint smell of greenery on her.

“There’s no such thing, all children are good children! They don’t know how to plan anything evil. Greta is a good kid, you were always a good kid. You’re so lively, and brave, and gentle. You should know, you’re my most precious daughter, that I love the most in the world.”

“It’s not like that. I-It’s not… it’s not…”

“Truth is, I know everything, only you might not have noticed. After all, that’s not something you would notice on your own.”

I happen to lower my head, and notice that the girl is barefooted. I’m just about to ask,

‘Why aren’t you wearing shoes?’

But the words get caught in my throat.

She was probably tripped on a stone on the way here, there’s still blood on her large toenail.

“You ran from your room all the way here… barefooted?”

She doesn’t mind bleeding, desperately holding out her arms to protect me.

“Thank you.”

“Because…”

Her slender fingers grab my clothes tightly, tears flowing continuously from her tightly-shut eyes.

“I wanted… to be of help to Yuuri.”

I don’t ask her why.

“Greta wants to help Yuuri. Because if I don’t….”

Conrad puts his hand on the sobbing girl’s shoulder, quietly soothing her,

“Calm down, breathe slowly, and then you’ll gradually stop crying.”

Crying until there’s snot all over his face, Günter hands a handkerchief to Greta, carefully convincing her to leave.

But I grab her shoulders tightly, dispelling Günter’s notion.

“It’s okay.”

The girl’s head is resting on my shoulder, her forehead rubbing on my clothes.

“It’s okay to leave her like this.”

“But Your Majesty…”

“I said it’s okay. Right, sorry for postponing the drill, and the person we were supposed to hide it from found out about it anyway. First, let me explain to you, Greta.”

I turn my attention to her immediately, and use the force in my arms to replace volume as I lecture.

“This has nothing to do with whether or not you can be of help, and besides, I never thought of anything like that. Do you think I would hate a child who can’t help me? Do I look like that sort of person?”

The girl suppresses a sob, looking up at me with wet eyes.

“…Am I that much of a jerk?”

“No, you’re not, that’s just what Greta thought, and Anissina said something like that too, but I just wanted to use actions to show what I thought!”

“You don’t have to think about adult things like being useful!”

“No, this has nothing to do with kids or adults! If you don’t use words or actions to show gratitude, you will eventually lose the love!”

Greta says non-stop, looking completely serious.

“I heard that a lot of married couples split up because of that!”

“Married couples?!”

What kind of an education has Anissina been giving her?

And the scene of everyone trying to hide their sobs, freezes immediately in that moment. It’s all the fault of the shocking truth, ‘So at the end it was the Poison Lady’s doing?’

As for Greta, she looks around her with an expression of admiration,

“I just knew it, everyone straightens up at the mention of Anissina’s name. Anissina really is amazing, looks like she’s respected by everyone.”

Everyone is desperately saying ‘that’s wrong, that’s wrong’ in the hearts.

“Um…”

Having been completely forgotten, Helio asks in the position he was just now. Maybe he feels awkward disturbing the touching father-daughter moment before his eyes, because his voice is tiny and incoherent.

“Is Lady Anissina really capable?”

“She’s very capable!”

“…Yes, capable—”

Greta answers immediately and innocently, but Conrad, Günter and I hesitate for a moment before replying. This shows the difference in our definition of the word.

“Then can Lady Anissina heal my father’s disease? Um… Truth is we did ask for a doctor, but all of them just shook their heads sadly and said they didn’t know what my father’s disease was.”

“Disease? Oh, yeah, you said you came here in your father’s place, and no matter what you had to give me the sword while your father lives… While he lives?! Is he that seriously ill?”

I glance at the sword in Conrad’s hands, and then at the boy’s face. Helio is still unsteady on his feet, and there are streaks of white on his face, probably from where he cried until there were no more tears to cry.

“If you want to heal a sickness, it would probably be better to find Gisela instead of Anissina. Anyway, Helio, where do you stay? We’ll bring the best army doctor over.”

The solemn soldiers start whispering again. Someone mumbles, “And how did it become the Sergeant this time?”

“Ah? What, she’s only a sergeant? I thought Gisela had a higher rank than that?”

“No, her actual rank is a little higher than that.”

Even though he’s her adopted father, Günter is looking at his bottom right. For some reason, his gaze is floating all over the place.

Apparently the women just happened to be having tea together, so the Poison Lady and the Sergeant arrive side by side. The young soldier who first found out about this, reports the news with a face full of tension.

“They are actually together! Heavens~ How can this be, and they’re walking together too.”

His voice is almost off-key.

As the fiery-red hair approaches slowly, the atmosphere increases in tandem.

As usual, Lady von Christ Gisela can only be seen one step behind, her expression gentle.

“It’s much safer if they’re here together… Hey, wait a sec! Why is everyone so terrified?”

I just had to think about the torture Lord von Christ Gwendal had to endure every day, and it isn’t hard to understand why they would be so scared of the Red Demon Poison Lady—Anissina.

But, why are they also so scared of the kind and compassionate pretty lady army doctor with the gentle hands, the healing NO. 1 mazoku Gisela?

What a mystery.

Or perhaps they have some combo attack when they’re together?

※ ※ ※ ※ ※

The blacksmith’s son—Helio takes us to his house on the east of the street where you can see the city walls.

It’s a townhouse with the first floor made into a factory, and the second floor living quarters.

Perhaps considering that the work done there might cause some noise, so his house is at a certain distance away from the surrounding houses.

Plus we had ridden a few horses here without any prior notice, so we would surely cause the neighbors some trouble, and I had started thinking of ways to greet them.

However, there aren’t any faces poking out from behind windows curiously, or any people gathering from elsewhere to join in on the fun.

We’re the only people here as far as the eyes can see, this entire place is just like a ghost town.

“If the people knew Your Majesty was here, it would surely cause a small panic. Although none of your subjects are here to welcome you, please condone that.”

After we dismount, all of us including Greta are wrapped up in dusty capes.

“What? Forget a panic, there isn’t a single citizen here! And we don’t have to worry about a panic or anything, we won’t be discovered if we just walk into the house!”

“The quietness is indeed strange.”

Conrad is suspicious too, but Günter starts bragging.

“That proves the efficiency of the Pedestrian Hell measures, the loyalty of the citizens in the capital is really commendable. But that’s also because Your Majesty is a good king, that’s why all the people… Ah~ Wait! Wait for me, Your Majesty!”

Günter’s expression changes drastically mid-speech.

“You’re not planning to go to the scene of the disease, are you? That’s the house of a patient, and he has a strange disease that even doctors can’t heal! Your Majesty actually plans to enter such a place… Just imagining it, I… There must be blood all over the floor… and a charred odor!”

“What are you imagining weird things for?”

Right then Miss Anissina walks past us suavely, holding a cage with a small bird in her hands.

“Good morning, Your Majesty, how are you? I heard that the assassination drill rather failed due to a small, unexpected incident.”

She probably didn’t say ‘failed spectacularly’ out of her own little kindness. That high dark red ponytail is as proud as ever.

“Always saying how elite and excellent they are, but in the end it’s just a security team made of useless men. Theoretically not even a mudskipper should have been able to get into the Pedestrian Hell, but as a result such a large child forces his way in front of His Majest without any obstruction whatsoever, a team like that can’t be trusted at all. Who knew that Lord von Voltaire is only away temporarily, and the army immediately falls to shambles. Lord von Christ?”

The sky blue gaze stops above Günter.

“There’s poop on your hair.”

“Mmph!”

She really doesn’t hold back with her words, a few of the soldiers pretend to cough and clear their throats.

“Ah, Miss Anissina! That cage is?”

There’s a bright yellow bird tilting its beak in the elaborate silver cage . It’s a canary with a very Brazilian color palette.

“This? This is the ‘Magical Invention Odor Detector—Can Airy. It can determine whether there is poison in the air before we enter a building or cave.”

“Waa~ So if inside is filled with poison, then this canary would have sacrificed itself for us? Although it can’t be helped, poor thing.”

“Poor thing? It won’t die, and never was alive in the first place, because it’s just a magical invention.”

“Eh, but isn’t that canary…”

“I said it’s a magical invention!”

From its short chirps and tilted head, it looks just like a real bird no matter how you cut it.

But not long after I protest, Miss Anissina just opens the door to the factory wide, and holds the cage high towards that direction.

And then the bird chirps hysterically.

“Can can can, can airy--!”

“That’s no surprise. Even I can smell the pungent odor here.”

Helio scratches his head abashedly,

“Sorry, because I was too busy, I forgot to throw away the leftovers.”

This really is a blacksmith’s house that no one had the time to clean.

“What a bother. Even though we’ve already deduced one of the reasons behind the odor, since the Magical Invention Odor Detector has reacted, we can’t go in without any preparations. Now we can only ask Lady von Christ’s father to provide the maryoku, quickly put on the Magical Invention Protection Vest…”

Right then, Gisela suddenly appears in our field of vision.

She crosses her arms in front of her chest, summoning the soldiers to her with one pointer finger.

Her eyes are narrowed in displeasure, and the corners of her mouth are pulled downwards.

T-this is the first time I’ve seen Gisela like this.

All of the soldiers act like rabbits in front of a tiger, shivering as they gather nervously.

“L-Lady Gisela!”

“You…”

She abruptly takes a deep breath.

“Get your asses ready!”

“Eek—”

And then, she goes down the row of soldiers, giving them each a slap… No, giving them each moral support.

“Those people over there don’t have any real combat experience, they’re just the round table team who sit in the safety of their commanding seats and comfortably give orders, you know?! If you let them get ahead of you, then as soldiers aren’t you a disgrace?! Are you going to abandon even that bit of spine you got as big as your tip of your pinky?!”

“We’re very sorry, Sergeant!”

“If you have even a bit of a soldier’s spirit left, get in there now and rescue the patient! You bunch of tortoises!”

“Yes! Understood, Sergeant! We’ll go in now!”

In that moment my entire upper body went cold.

It’s a demon, she really is a Demon Sergeant! And she seems to have an intense enmity towards Anissina.

The image of these two sipping tea at a table together, is really hard to imagine.

After hearing the Sergeant’s king-like orders, the soldiers ignore my look of surprise and immediately rush into the blacksmith’s house, as panicked as hamsters.

They don’t have any poison detectors, or any protection clothes, but within ten seconds they have the leader of the family carted out on his bed.

“Successfully rescued, Sergeant!”

“He’s still breathing, Sergeant!”

“The rotting stench of leftovers is really very strong, Sergeant…”

“Mn! ‘I finally see the Shin Makoku soldier spirit’… Did you think I would say that?!”

Although even we thought that they deserved at least some praise, Sergeant Gisela believes in radicalism.

“You bastards, how could you bring a serious patient with what seems like an open contagious disease next to His Majesty?! Even level one soldiers wouldn’t do something so stupid! All of you, shave your heads bald and go back to the academy!”

“W-we’re really sorry…”

The cream of the crop, scary-looking Shin Makoku national security team that Gunter was talking about now have tears in their eyes.

On the other hand, perhaps Gisela let off all her steam, because her attitude suddenly changes 180 degrees.

No, instead of saying it changed, it’d be better to say she changed back into a normal person.

“Your Majesty, I’m so sorry, we let you see such an ugly sight.”

“N-nah. It’s okay!”

And then I suddenly notice Greta’s moist eyes.

“Greta, were you scared?”

“…Gisela… is so cool…”

Oh, crap!

“Papa, Papa!”

Gisela puts all her energy into pulling the boy hugging his father tightly and the bed away, distancing me from the patient.

Disregarding the risk to her own health, she stays determinedly at the post of a healer, squatting down by the patient’s side.

Right now, all I can see is her bloodless arm, and the man’s thin arm held in her fingers.

Just then, green leaf-shaped spots start appearing all over his skin, the shade of dirt.

“T-this is?”

“What’s the matter—Gisela—”

“This is the mysterious illness that spreads every 645 years—the mugwort fever!”

“W-what did you say--!”

Why does the time period sound so similar to the Taika Reforms(8)? But seeing as Günter and Gisela both look shocked, I can tell that this is a very serious disease.

“No wonder even the doctors are helpless. Because there’s no one who ever really healed the mugwort fever anywhere in the country.”

“Then, has the treatment for this fever been discovered? Since it’s an epidemic from 645 years ago, then the reason behind it should have been discovered long ago, and a complete treatment was found, right?”

“About that…”

Be it her voice or her tone, Gisela has reverted to being a medical officer, and her expression is regretful as she mumbles.

“As it is only a temporary epidemic, and it only spreads for a very short period of time, disappearing before the pathogen can leave any sort of trace, so forget a proper treatment method, we still don’t even know what the cause of the disease is.”

“Eh, so we don’t even know the source?!”

“Yes, and if it really is mugwort fever, then surely all the other adults around here have been infected…”

“It’s bad, Your Excellency!”

A few soldiers, who I think are Lord Weller’s men, aren’t affected by the Sergeant, and are now running over from a house nearby. They had been sent to investigate the area at some point in time.

“What’s the matter?”

“No wonder none of the citizens here reacted to the commotion we caused, it’s because all the people here are sick and bedridden. And forget the normal people here, even the doctor on duty has collapsed onto the couch in the living room. According to our observations, there are five of them in critical condition, and eight just showing the initial symptoms, the situation right now is really hard to determine.”

“And the children?”

“About that, the miraculous thing is that the children don’t seem to be affected at all, they’re just standing at the side helplessly, worried and scared. Anyway, we already brought them out just now.”

Conrad nods, and uses a smoke signal to contact the rest of the medical team.

“Looks like we can’t make rash moves now, it’d be bad if we got infected too.”

So calm, I just hope he won’t suddenly transform his attitude like Gisela did.

“Only the children weren’t infected, that does sound like the symptoms of mugwort fever.”

“I see, mugwort fever…”

Listening to Gisela’s painful report, Anissina looks like she wants to touch her nose.

“What’s with the disdainful look!”

“Because that isn’t poison~”

Maybe diseases can’t pique her curiosity. Like an old uncle, Anissina touches the tip of her nose with her thumb, mumbling,

“But a period of 645 years… 645… 645… The number just seems so familiar~”

I really want to tell her ‘it’s the Taika Reforms, the Taika Reforms’, but I resist. Because if I break her concentration now, I might actually be caught and used in her experiments.

“This feeling of not remembering is agonizing. No, this just makes me want to remember even more… Ah!”

Her face suddenly glowing, Lady von Karbelnikoff claps her hands together lightly, and then says the ominous name I heard just yesterday afternoon.

“It’s the buzzing cicadas!”

Hearing her conclusion, I instinctively defend myself.

“Eh~ I-it wasn’t me, I wasn’t the one who brought those cicadas—”

“Those cicadas? What does that mean? Nah, it’s just that the documents really did state that the exact time the buzzing cicadas cross the ocean to Shin Makoku is once every 645 years. If you count backwards from today, it has been 645 years since the last time, and 645 years between that and the last last time.”

Gisela, who was staring at the patient, raises her head, right now she’s in healer mode.

“The last widespread epidemic of mugwort fever was also 645 years ago, and 645 years before that, there was a disease very much like ragweed fever that caused panic among the people. Back then no cure could be found at all either, and in a very short time it vanished. It’s too bad none of the record were kept from then.”

As for me, I voice a very common opinion as a citizen of the medically advanced Japan. If the times the cicadas fly over and the disease spreads are so much in sync, then…

“We can only guess that the cicadas brought the germs from across the sea…”

“Then won’t the cicadas be useful in the treatment?!”

What--?! That conclusion is a bit too far-fetched, isn’t it? Mazoku thought processes are really hard to understand.

“That must be right, Lady von Karbelnikoff! Heavens~ How come I never noticed it? Stupid! Stupid! Stupid! I’m so stupid! Gisela, what the hell do you have in your skull?! Mud? Sawdust? Or rotting cow dung?”

She uses the Demon Sergeant’s tone even when scolding herself.

“If the rumors are true, then the buzzing cicadas should migrate across the sea soon, so we just have to wait for their arrival, and then look for a treatment method together with them.”

The giant cicadas have become an important key in increasing medical technology, huh… Why do I have such an empty helpless feeling?

As for Greta, looking at the two grown women’s expression of excitement, she raises the head that was lying on my lap, and my hands are still on her shoulders too.

“Señor and the others are already here, y’know!”

“What did you say?”

“I said—the cicadas came with Greta to the castle yesterday.”

Anissina immediately shuts her mouth.

Her brows fly skywards suddenly, her sky blue eyes filled with practicality going round as saucers.

“No way? That extremely rare insect the buzzing cicadas are here?! You said the buzzing cicadas have flown here?! Greta, why didn’t you tell me earlier?”

“Because most women hate bugs, I thought Anissina would too!”

With one powerful toss of that hair tied high, three unfortunate soldiers on the scene get broken noses.

“The only thing that gives me a headache in the world is roosters! Heavens—What to do? I can’t believe I’m actually lucky enough to see one of the world’s seven rare insects, the buzzing cicadas! No wonder the saying goes, ‘the older you live, the more you see’!”

“T-those cicadas are that popular?”

As expected, the knowledgeable Poison Lady has an unbeatable upper hand.

“It’s exactly as you said, Your Majesty, they are after all giant cicadas that come only once every 645 years! Not only are they known as Shinou’s royal servants, to some scholars, they are the kings of the insect world!”

“Eh—”

“Also, pulp fiction like ‘Terrifying Buzzing Stories’ and ‘The Transformation’ with shocking contents such as ‘can the hero who one morning wakes up as a giant cicada return to normal’, these all use the buzzing cicadas as their creative inspiration!”

“Eh, eeeh—”

“Speaking of which, there’s going to a wall built on the borders of our country and neighboring countries.”

“Eh, eeeeh—eeeeeh—”

“Your Majesty, you’re becoming an answering machine!”

After Conrad taps my shoulder, I finally regain my rational mind. No, I can’t, I was being led right by the nose by Miss Anissina.

“Is that so? We just have to borrow the buzzing cicadas power, and we can save this child’s father and everyone around here?”

“Although we can’t make that conclusion yet, but if we hypothesize according to the documents, the possibility of treating them is fairly high.”

The girl’s warm body moves away from my knees, red brown eyes sparkling in excitement.

“Then, let me call them. Can I? Greta’s going to call them, okay?”

And then Greta raises her little fist, yelling into the sky,

“¡¿Cómo está, Señor?! ¡¿Cómo está, Señorita?!”

Greta, where exactly were you born?

Soon, the ominous sound of wings and the chirping that makes you want to stuff your ears comes from the distance.

“Chiuui—n!”

“Chiuuuuuuuuuuuii-n!”

It’s the dentist, it’s the sound of the dentist’s teeth grinder.

“Chiu—Chiuchiuchiu, chiuuii—n!”

The hot summer babe is here! No, wait, it’s a group of hot summer babes! And that volume isn’t from just one or two cicadas’ sound waves, it’s obviously the sound of a swarm. In no time at all, the sky has been dyed a disgusting brown, they’re here in their swarms.

“Señor, Señorita!”

Hearing Greta’s calls, the two in front of the team immediately land, looks like those two are the leaders of this team, huh. Conrad says this unintentionally, I’m afraid it’s probably his honest thoughts.

“For some reason, she is particularly good with leaders of rare creatures.”

“It’d be even better if they could understand human language.”

Even if they’re good insects, but when faced with my own adorable daughter hugging universe SIZE giant insects, I can still barely watch. And honestly, it’s really bad on the eyes.

“Señor, Señorita, I have something to ask of you. Please, can you help Anissina and Gisela heal these people’s illness?”

“Chiuu--n!”

The two cicadas reply with something, whether affirmative or refusal no one knows, and then they emit sound waves to their companions in the sky. Since I don’t have a good impression of dentists, I can only squat down, crying, while the synchronized cicada team descend in order, performing some special show like ‘The Wonders of Nature’.

When Señor looks at Gisela with his sparkling composite eyes, he notices the seriously ill patient, and makes a rather cute sound.

“Chuui?”

“Ah, Señor!”

Before Greta can stop it, the huge insect has moved across the ground with a speed far surpassing cicadas, reaching the blacksmith who had been carried together with his bed. And just as everyone expected, it sticks the tube hidden in its mouth into the man’s neck.

“Señor, stop! He’s already on the verge of death, how can you still suck his blood!”

But it doesn’t listen to my orders at all.

The Demon Sergeant Gisela immediately makes a demonic ‘tsk’ sound, her hand reaching for the short sword on her waist.

“Spare the cicada, Gisela!”

The one who stops her, is actually her adopted father Günter. And he’s using a tone that suits his beauty too, how rare.

“Please observe the patient carefully, color has returned to his face without us noticing. Although his blood is being sucked, but there’s more color on his cheeks and forehead.”

“It’s true, what on earth is…”

The previously motionless hand starts shaking slightly, his chest, having returned to its normal temperature, is now rising and falling rhythmically. Even if his breathing has become regular, these are obvious signs of recovery.

“Papa!”

Helio, who was pulled to a side, now breaks away from the soldiers and rushes over, gripping his blacksmith father’s hand tightly, even bursting into tears.

I’m a bit lost.

“Wait a sec, wasn’t his blood sucked? Shouldn’t he be even more lifeless?”

“The only one who can solve this mystery, seems to be me, as someone with personal experience.”

“Oh yeah, you too…”

The first victim of the blood-sucking, the spirited Lord von Christ crosses his arm in front of his chest and stands up. Although he didn’t save the day this time, he still looks rather pleased with himself.

“It looks like the legendary rare insects, the buzzing cicadas, much prefer unhealthy blood that has been polluted, and to make the needle they stick inside easier to pull out, they will also insert an anti-coagulant. That liquid is in fact a very effective medicine, for example in the entire last night, the aches in my shoulders and waist never acted up, my face didn’t swell either, and even that Athlete’s foot that itched like crazy is completely healed.”

“…So you had problems like that!”

“And even my beauty meter has increased by 20%, allowing me to head straight down the road towards His Majesty’s affections.”

The fact that his completely baseless confidence can get this exaggerated, is actually a pretty terrifying thing.

“So, Your Excellency—”

As I thought, like adopted father, like adopted daughter.

“If the rare insects can suck unhealthy blood, does that mean they’re the only treatment method for mugwort fever?”

Hey hey hey.

“Not only that!”

Miss Anissina, who was examining the behavior of the rare insects carefully, raises her head forcefully as she takes notes. Her voice is so powerful it causes the soldiers behind to fall, one by one—they were surely knocked down by her head with a lot of strength.

“The migration of the buzzing cicadas across the sea isn’t completely meaningless, we can assume that the reason they fly over here in swarms, is to search for blood contaminated with mugwort fever.”

Hey hey hey, that theory is way farfetched, isn’t it.

“That makes sense… and this way we can explain why they always show up on land during the same time period… if blood infected with mugwort fever is this rare insect’s favorite…”

“Wait a sec, wait a sec, aren’t you guys being too optimistic here?!” I look around me to find someone more unbiased about this. Hopefully someone will understand that this may just be a coincidence.

“If the hypothesis is true…”

“Conrad, why do you think so too?”

Lord Weller touches the bottom of his ear with a finger, thinking before he says,

“This would place the credit on Greta, who had led the rare insects, who were probably lost at sea, to Shin Makoku. If Señor was just a little later in arriving, the diseases would likely spread instantly.”

The cause of all this who had unwittingly contributed hugely to the country forcefully throws her cape to a side, and then brushes past my arm to run towards the patient and the healer (cicada).

“You can’t suck too much, Señor, or it might affect his health!”

Señor, whose shoulder-like part is being held by the insect tamer, obediently lifts its chin. And then its extremely sphere-like composite eyes become moist, as though it hasn’t had its fill.

“Chuiinnn!”

Meaning ‘I’m full’.

Helio’s father miraculously regains his consciousness, touching his sobbing son’s head.

“That’s wonderful, you over there, listen up!”

The healer immediately makes the right decision.

“Patrol this area now, and bring all the infected patients here! Let them undergo Master Señor’s treatment!”

“Understood, Sergeant!”

“Too soft! Or has it been too long since you were trained?!”

“Under~stood! Sergeant!”

The soldiers move even more cleanly than they did during the assassination drill earlier, carrying out the Sergeant’s orders, even singing songs like, ‘The Sergeant’s Mood is Great Today’.

“I-is this all right? Using such a strange treatment method without any proof.”

“This counts as emergency measures, Your Majesty.”

I look to my side, where Miss Anissina’s sky blue eyes are sparkling with ill-hidden curiosity, and she’s smiling a very arroga… No, I mean, a very beautiful smile.

“I will immediately start research on the blood-sucking habits of rare insects and the effect of the liquid upon entering the human body. After there’s only a thin line between medicine and poison, and there’s no better research topic than this. Thank goodness…”

“Eek!”

The gaze like an invader eyeing its prey, has scared Günter into straightening his expression.

“There’s a suitable experimental table… and test subjects, then please leave the rest to me. Your Majesty need not worry about such trivial matters, but firstly you should praise Greta for her contribution. An outstanding Poison Lady should be praised, and idolized, to create even more outstanding Poison Ladies.”

“Poison Lady?!”

“Ah~ No, I meant child, of course I meant little girls.”

Maybe because she heard someone mention her name, the girl with the red-brown hair looks over our way, even mouthing ‘what’s the matter?’ with her lips.

“Are you calling me?”

“We were just saying what a good kid you are.”

I put both hands by my mouth to replace a loudspeaker, and then yell slightly upwards, hoping that everyone in the entire city, in the entire country, can hear me.

“We’re saying Greta is a good kid!”

“Really? Was Greta of help to Yuuri?”

Not only did you help me, you probably saved everyone in Shin Makoku, you know.

The young cicada tamer stands between the two women she respects, working spiritedly.

I heard that childhood experience will decide a person’s future, so chances are high that this child will grow up into a nurse or a mad magician… Greta, to be honest Papa would rather you become an angel in white.

I stand in the distance and admire my daughter’s heroic stance, upon seeing the patients heal one by one after the cicadas suck their blood, maybe out of relief, drowsiness suddenly sweeps over me.

The banquet last night and the unfamiliar assassination drill early in the morning, has caused a lack of sleep in me.

“Your Majesty.”

“A-ya~ Fint ah thell you nough to call me Your Majesty (Didn’t I tell you not to call me Your Majesty), Godfather.”

I’m already yawning non-stop.

“Sorry, I just can’t get rid of that habit. On the other hand, Your Majesty, if you’re tired, you can just hand everything here to Gisela, how about you return to your chambers first for a rest?”

“As the person in charge, how can I…”

“Even leaders should have the heart to trust their subordinates.”

And so, half-refusing half-accepting, I return to the castle, and enter the room that was cleaned up long ago. Wolfram, who had originally planned to sleep until noon, has probably recharged enough, and left without even informing where he was going.

Conrad picks up the silver pillow from the made bed, and then stuffs the pink pillow into my chest with a ‘Please Enjoy’ gesture.

“I promised you.”

“Yahoo--! Being lucky enough to have naughty dreams in broad daylight, makes me feel like I’m doing something bad though.”

“What does it matter? Just take it as a small reward after a hard day’s work.”

“Is that so, that sounds all right.”

Thank goodness Wolfram, who tends to hug me, isn’t here now, so even if I say anything weird in my sleep, I don’t have to worry about being interrogated by, ‘Who was that? Was it a man?!”

“Right, let’s sleep, let’s sleep…”

Just as I take off my shirt, pull up the covers, and get ready to shrink into the mattress—

“Yuuri!”

The girl rushes in without knocking, crosses the living area and bedroom in amazing speed, and in no time at all she jumps onto my stomach.

“G-Greta?”

She’s all smiles, too.

“Anissina and Gisela have learned how to control Señor and the others, so they said I can go play elsewhere, and then, and then!”

Greta even bounces on the bed a few times as she says,

“Greta said she wants to play with Yuuri, and then Günter said, ‘His Majesty is getting ready to rest, if you want to sleep too you can sleep together.’ So he said that because I worked really hard to lead Señor and the others, my reward is that I can sleep together with you, Yuuri!”

Greta hugs my nodding neck tightly.

“I’m so happy--! It’s been so long since I slept with Papa!”

“That’s right, you were studying overseas all the time before, so only for today, I’ll give you special treatment!”

Lord Weller, who was on his way out of the room, walks over with a smile as though he saw a puppy, and picks up the pink pillow.

“Confiscated!”

I raise my hands up high next to my face, I don’t dare object now.

“Oh, yeah, Yuuri, tell me some stories before I sleep. I really want to hear the sequel to ‘Yokohama Jennifer’s Harbor Ultimate Punch’~”

She lies on the bed, supported by her arms, her slender legs swinging here and there like a dolphin.

“You like to hear fighting stories like that! Really, you really are a kid!”

“Eh~ I’m not a kid! My favorite is Poison Lady, and then only Jennifer!”

Just when I mumble to myself, ‘Life with a daughter really is great’, a groggy Greta just happens to turn her head around to face me. But her eyelids have already fluttered to a close, covering her red-brown eyes.

“…No, life with a father is great!”

I reach my hand out to the head that’s leaning on my shoulder, and see that there’s a little swirl right in the middle of her curly hair.

It’s okay for you to keep being a kid.

Please always be a kid.

Until that day when I become a father worth being proud of.

1. Suiton no jutsu lit. Water-style technique, Naruto fans would know :3

2. Nyanmage, a samurai cat, is the mascot of the Edo Wonderland Nikko Edomura, a ninja theme park in Nikko reenacting the Edo Period. There are monkey performances there too, hence Yuuri’s confusion.

3. The titular character from the manga, ‘Golgo 13’, a professional assassin for hire. He also has really thick eyebrows :3

4. I can only assume the actual pun came from the famous ‘hennachoko’, but it was already lost in Chinese orz

5. In Ginza, Akihabara and Shinjuku, certain roads are closed off to traffic on holidays, creating something called ‘Pedestrian Heaven’.

6. Nikita Sergeyevich Khrushchev[a] (April 15 [O.S. April 3] 1894 – September 11, 1971) was a Russian politician who led the Soviet Union during part of the Cold War. (From Wikipedia)

7. Birdman Rally is a competition where members of the public build home-made gliders, hang gliders and human-powered aircraft, ranging from very serious aircraft to mere costumes, leap off a river- or seaside jetty, and compete for distance and entertainment value. (Wikipedia)

8. The Taika Reforms were a set of doctrines established by Emperor Kotoku in the year 645. (Wikipedia)

9. Spanish for ‘how are you’.

User talk:Alaxxis Sade

2015-01-23T16:52:09Z

Alaxxis Sade: /* Comments */

== Comments ==
Thanks very much for your translations. This is my absolute favorite series. --[[User:Tasear|Tasear]] ([[User talk:Tasear|talk]]) 14:16, 13 December 2014 (CST)

:Hehe, you're welcome, please take good care of me here and help correct me when I'm wrong~ *bows* [[User:Alaxxis Sade|Alaxxis Sade]] ([[User talk:Alaxxis Sade#top|talk]]) 09:12, 14 December 2014 (CST)

Just wanted to leave some thanks for your recent translations, I've really been very happy to read them! Thank you so much :)

:You're welcome, I'm glad you enjoyed it :3 I might not be so fast all the time, and there's a lot of material to cover, so please bear with me! [[User:Alaxxis Sade|Alaxxis Sade]] ([[User talk:Alaxxis Sade#top|talk]])

Thank you so much! You're kind of my hero at the moment. :) If you'd like any help with editing or the like, I'd be happy to lend a hand~ --[[User:TrippingOnWords|TrippingOnWords]]

:Welcome! I'd always appreciate it if you just edited out any mistakes you find as you're reading :3 I'm actually a bit of a grammarnazi, but I'm sacrificing perfection for speed here because I know lots of people are waiting for these, so any help with the editing bits would be much appreciated! [[User:Alaxxis Sade|Alaxxis Sade]] ([[User talk:Alaxxis Sade#top|talk]])

Your translations are well done. It leaves me your editor more like a reader. Only noticeable errors are those pesky semi colons that are hiding themselves as commas. Again, good job and thank you! --[[User:Tasear|Tasear]] ([[User talk:Tasear|talk]]) 09:15, 23 January 2015 (CST)

:Ohh, those are annoying indeed, aren't they? :P Anyway, glad you liked these, too bad we're now taking a break from the main story for a string of extras... They're interesting ones, though! [[User:Alaxxis Sade|Alaxxis Sade]] ([[User talk:Alaxxis Sade#top|talk]])

Maru-MA

2015-01-22T14:46:11Z

Alaxxis Sade: /* Updates */

{{Status|Active}}

[[Image:CoverKyouKaraMaouTanjouHen01.jpg|300px|thumb|Kyou Kara MA Ou! Tanjou Hen 1 Cover]]

'''''Maru-MA''''' also known as The MA Series (㋮シリーズ) is a light novel series written by [[:Category:Tomo Takabayashi|Takabayashio Tomo]] and illustrated by Matsumoto Temari. The common name or community name of the series in english and spanish is Kyou Kara Maou. It's published by Kadokawa Shoten since 2000. There are currently 22 novels released. Between 2004-2009 was the series adapted into anime. The 117 episodes aired as ''Kyō kara Maō!'' (jp. 今日からマ王!) in Japan on NHK BS-2. There were two of three seasons released in english under the names Kyou Kara Maoh! and God(?), Save Our King!

== Story Synopsis ==
Yuri Shibuya was living a pretty normal life. That changed the day he was dunked into a toilet after an attempt to save a classmate from a gang of bullies. Instead of just getting a good soaking, he's pulled in. The next thing he knows, he's in a world that vaguely resembles medieval Europe. If that's not odd enough, he's told that he is to be the next Maoh,( Demon King ) just because he has black hair and black eyes. The Maoh is the King of the Mazoku ( Demon tribe ), who are coexisting not-so-peacefully with the humans in this world. Much to his subject's dismay, he's totally different from the rulers they're accustomed to. He's kind, considerate, a believer in justice, and not willing to use violence to solve conflicts. Not exactly someone they want running a country on the very brink of war. Now, Yuri has to deal with trying to become a good Maoh, while at the same time attempting to adapt to this land's customs and culture, all in a world where the tension between the humans and Mazoku is reaching its peak.

== Translation ==

=== [[MA Series:Registration Page|Registration]] ===

'''Translators are asked to [[MA Series:Registration Page|register]] for chapters they want to work on'''

===Format Standards===
'''Every Chapter (after editing) must conform to the general format guidelines.'''
*[[Format_guideline|General Format/Style Guideline]]
*[[MA Series:Names and Terminology Guideline|Project specific Guidelines: Names and Terminology]]

== Updates ==
*'''22 January 2015''' - Volume 10 Chapter 4~7
*'''13 January 2015''' - Volume 10 Chapter 1~3
*'''9 January 2015''' - Volume 9 completed
*'''23 December 2014''' - Volume 9 Chapter 6
*'''21 December 2014''' - Updated prologues for Volumes 11, 15 and 17.
*'''15 December 2014''' - Volume 9 Chapter 5
*'''12 December 2014''' - Volume 9 Chapter 4
*'''12 December 2014''' - Volume 9 Chapter 3
*'''2 October 2013''' - Apollo 00 by [http://otonashi-diva.livejournal.com/ Otonashi_diva]
*'''21 September 2013''' - Titles's translation by [http://otonashi-diva.livejournal.com/ Otonashi_diva]
*'''21 September 2013''' - Volume 4 Full Text by [http://otonashi-diva.livejournal.com/ Otonashi_diva]
*'''22 January 2012''' - Volume 1, Full Text uploaded.
*'''21 January 2012''' - Volume 8, Prologue + Chapter 1 + Chapter 2 added.
* '''21 January 2012''' - Novel 3 Full text uploaded.
* '''18 January 2012''' - Teaser Project started!

== MA Series ==

[[File:KKM1Cover.jpg|thumb]]
=== Volume 1 - Starting Today I'm in Ma!Freelance Work!! [[MaruMA:Volume 01|(Full text)]]===
*[[MaruMA:Volume01:Illustrations|Novel Illustrations]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume01:Character_Introduction|Character Introduction]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume01:Prologue|Prologue]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume01:Chapter_1|Chapter 1]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume01:Chapter_2|Chapter 2]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume01:Chapter_3|Chapter 3]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume01:Chapter_4|Chapter 4]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume01:Chapter_5|Chapter 5]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume01:Chapter_6|Chapter 6]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume01:Chapter_7|Chapter 7]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume01:Chapter_8|Chapter 8]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume01:Chapter_9|Chapter 9]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume01:Chapter_10|Chapter 10]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume01:Afterword|Afterword]]

=== Volume 2 - This Time it's the Ultimate Ma!Weapon! [http://www.asphodelshaven.com/translations/view/novel/kkm_02/all#cutid1 (Full Text) by AsphodelsHaven ]===

[[File:KKM3Cover.jpg|thumb]]

=== Volume 3 - Tonight is the Great Ma!Escape!!! [[MaruMA:Volume 03|(Full text)]] ===
*[[MaruMA:Volume03:Illustrations|Novel Illustrations]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume03:Prologue|Prologue]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume03:Chapter_1|Chapter 1]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume03:Chapter_2|Chapter 2]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume03:Chapter_3|Chapter 3]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume03:Chapter_4|Chapter 4]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume03:Chapter_5|Chapter 5]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume03:Chapter_6|Chapter 6]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume03:Chapter_7|Chapter 7]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume03:Chapter_8|Chapter 8]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume03:Chapter_9|Chapter 9]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume03:Chapter_10|Chapter 10]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume03:Chapter_11|Chapter 11]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume03:Chapter_12|Chapter 12]]

[[File:KKM4Cover.jpg|thumb]]

=== Volume 4 - Tomorrow a Ma!Wind Will Blow! ===
*[http://otonashi-diva.livejournal.com/2718.html Prologue and Chapter 1 by Otonashi_diva]
*[http://otonashi-diva.livejournal.com/3045.html Chapter 2 by Otonashi-diva]
*[http://otonashi-diva.livejournal.com/3077.html Chapter 3 by Otonashi_diva]
*[http://otonashi-diva.livejournal.com/3576.html Chapter 4 by Otonashi_diva]
*[http://otonashi-diva.livejournal.com/3676.html Chapter 5 by Otonashi_diva]
*[http://otonashi-diva.livejournal.com/4031.html Chapter 6 by Otonashi_diva]
*[http://otonashi-diva.livejournal.com/4301.html Chapter 7 by Otonashi_diva]
*[http://otonashi-diva.livejournal.com/4481.html Chapter 8 by Otonashi_diva]
*[http://otonashi-diva.livejournal.com/4790.html Chapter 9 by Otonashi_diva]
*[http://otonashi-diva.livejournal.com/5055.html Chapter 10 by Otonashi_diva]

[[File:KKMgaiden1cover.jpg|thumb]]

=== Short Stories Volume 1 - His Excellency and the Tosa Ma!Diary!? ===
*[[MaruMA:Gaiden01:Illustrations|Novel Illustrations]]
*[http://otonashi-diva.livejournal.com/8339.html Prologue by otonashi-diva]
*[http://otonashi-diva.livejournal.com/8807.html The Taming of the Bear - Day 1 by otonashi-diva]
*[http://otonashi-diva.livejournal.com/9053.html The Taming of the Bear - Day 2 by otonashi-diva]
*[http://otonashi-diva.livejournal.com/9642.html The Taming of the Bear - Day 3 by otonashi-diva]
*[http://otonashi-diva.livejournal.com/10744.html Romero & Argent Part 1 by otonashi-diva]
*[http://otonashi-diva.livejournal.com/10865.html Romero & Argent Part 2 by otonashi-diva]
*[http://otonashi-diva.livejournal.com/11259.html All's Well That Ends Well Part 1 by otonashi-diva]
*[http://otonashi-diva.livejournal.com/11299.html All's Well That Ends Well Part 2 by otonashi-diva]
*[http://otonashi-diva.livejournal.com/11550.html Epilogue]

[[File:KKM5Cover.jpg|thumb]]

=== Volume 5 - The Ma!Sun Will Definitely Rise! ===
*[[MaruMA:Volume05:Illustrations|Novel Illustrations]]
Translation completely done by Kannichtfranz.
*[http://kannnichtfranz.livejournal.com/232017.html PROLOGUE & Chapter 1 by kannnichtfranz]
*[http://kannnichtfranz.livejournal.com/232318.html Chapter 2 by kannnichtfranz]
*[http://kannnichtfranz.livejournal.com/232722.html Chapter 3 by kannnichtfranz]
*[http://kannnichtfranz.livejournal.com/233072.html Chapter 4 by kannnichtfranz]
*[http://kannnichtfranz.livejournal.com/233459.html Chapter 5 by kannnichtfranz]
*[http://kannnichtfranz.livejournal.com/233597.html Chapter 6 by kannnichtfranz]
*[http://kannnichtfranz.livejournal.com/234109.html Chapter 7 by kannnichtfranz]
*[http://kannnichtfranz.livejournal.com/234400.html Chapter 8 by kannnichtfranz]
*[http://kannnichtfranz.livejournal.com/234650.html Chapter 9 by kannnichtfranz]
*[http://kannnichtfranz.livejournal.com/234839.html Chapter 10 by kannnichtfranz]

[[File:KKM6Cover.jpg|thumb]]

=== Volume 6 - Someday in the Ma!Twilight! ===
*[[MaruMA:Volume06:Illustrations|Novel Illustrations]]
Translation by Kannichtfranz.
*[http://kannnichtfranz.livejournal.com/240669.html Prologue & Chapter 1 by kannnichtfranz]
*[http://kannnichtfranz.livejournal.com/241095.html Chapter 2 by kannnichtfranz]
*[http://kannnichtfranz.livejournal.com/241290.html Chapter 3 by kannnichtfranz]
*[http://kannnichtfranz.livejournal.com/243822.html Chapter 4 by kannnichtfranz]
*[http://kannnichtfranz.livejournal.com/244149.html Chapter 5 by kannnichtfranz]
*[http://otonashi-diva.livejournal.com/6036.html Chapter 6 by otonashi-diva]
*[http://otonashi-diva.livejournal.com/6189.html Chapter 7 by otonashi-diva]
*[http://otonashi-diva.livejournal.com/6468.html Chapter 8 by otonashi-diva]
*[http://otonashi-diva.livejournal.com/6976.html Chapter 9 by otonashi-diva]
*[http://otonashi-diva.livejournal.com/7219.html Chapter 10 by otonashi-diva]
*[http://otonashi-diva.livejournal.com/7581.html Chapter 11 by otonashi-diva]

[[File:KKM89Cover.jpg|thumb]]

=== Volume 7 - The Ma!Snow Dances in the Sky! ===
*[[MaruMA:Volume07:Illustrations|Novel Illustrations]]
[https://docs.google.com/View?docid=dd9f2j4p_4dj842w&pli=1 Full Translation by vivarina.]
*[http://kyou-kara-maou.livejournal.com/1163379.html#cutid1 Chapter 1 by vivarina]
*[http://kyou-kara-maou.livejournal.com/1167043.html#cutid1 Chapter 2 by vivarina]
*[http://kyou-kara-maou.livejournal.com/1171141.html#cutid1 Chapter 3 by vivarina]
*[http://otonashi-diva.livejournal.com/8190.html Chapter 4 by otonashi-diva]]
*[http://otonashi-diva.livejournal.com/8634.html Chapter 5 by otonashi-diva]
*[http://otonashi-diva.livejournal.com/9400.html Chapter 6 by otonashi-diva]
*[http://otonashi-diva.livejournal.com/9941.html Chapter 7 by otonashi-diva]
*[http://otonashi-diva.livejournal.com/10037.html Chapter 8 by otonashi-diva]
*[http://otonashi-diva.livejournal.com/10321.html Chapter 9 by otonashi diva]
*[https://docs.google.com/document/pub?id=1VP8yzjkY0i62pwcmSUj2uHeabpelL-aQTU77CeHSsVM#cutid1 Chapter 10]
*[https://docs.google.com/document/pub?id=13bWqLhPRQ5Te5K-_7kypSVv6SSejSR_ry-5vS0XLDyA#cutid1 Chapter 11]
*[https://docs.google.com/document/pub?id=1OHeGlD5ThrgwU4AVPSQnvN-RAsUaeQxSMNPTbV789mQ#cutid1 Chapter 12]

[[File:KKM8Cover.jpg|thumb]]

=== Volume 8 - A Ma!Star Falls to the Earth! ===
*[[MaruMA:Volume08:Illustrations|Novel Illustrations]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume08:Prologue|Prologue]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume08:Chapter 1|Chapter 1]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume08:Chapter 2|Chapter 2]]
*[http://otonashi-diva.livejournal.com/14476.html Chapter 3 by otonashi-diva]
*[http://otonashi-diva.livejournal.com/14610.html Chapter 4 by otonashi-diva]
*[http://otonashi-diva.livejournal.com/14899.html Chapter 5 by otonashi-diva]
*[http://otonashi-diva.livejournal.com/15244.html Chapter 6 by otonashi-diva]
*[http://otonashi-diva.livejournal.com/15403.html Chapter 7 by otonashi-diva]
*[http://otonashi-diva.livejournal.com/15696.html Chapter 8 by otonashi-diva]
*[[MaruMA:Volume08:Afterword|Afterword]]

=== Side Story 1 - The Facade of the Lady Is a Disguise! ===
*[[MaruMA:SideStory01:Illustrations|Novel Illustrations]]
*[[MaruMA:SideStory01:Prologue|Prologue]]
*[[MaruMA:SideStory01:Chapter 1|Chapter 1]]
*[[MaruMA:SideStory01:Chapter 2|Chapter 2]]
*[[MaruMA:SideStory01:Chapter 3|Chapter 3]]
*[[MaruMA:SideStory01:Chapter 4|Chapter 4]]
*[[MaruMA:SideStory01:Chapter 5|Chapter 5]]
*[[MaruMA:SideStory01:Chapter 6|Chapter 6]]
*[[MaruMA:SideStory01:Chapter 7|Chapter 7]]
*[[MaruMA:SideStory01:Chapter 8|Chapter 8]]
*[[MaruMA:SideStory01:Afterword|Afterword]]

=== Short Stories Volume 2 - My Son is in Ma!Freelance Work!? ===
*[[MaruMA:Gaiden02:Illustrations|Novel Illustrations]]
*[[MaruMA:Gaiden02:Chapter 1|Chapter 1]]
*[[MaruMA:Gaiden02:Chapter 2|Chapter 2]]
*[[MaruMA:Gaiden02:Chapter 3|Chapter 3]]

=== Volume 9 - Aim for the Ends of the Ma!Ocean! ===
*[[MaruMA:Volume09:Illustrations|Novel Illustrations]]
*[http://macimoci.livejournal.com/3181.html#cutid1 Chapter 1 Part 1][http://macimoci.livejournal.com/3925.html#cutid1 Chapter 1 Part 2]
*[http://macimoci.livejournal.com/3598.html#cutid1 Chapter 2]
*[[MaruMA:Volume09:Chapter 3|Chapter 3]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume09:Chapter 4|Chapter 4]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume09:Chapter 5|Chapter 5]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume09:Chapter 6|Chapter 6]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume09:Chapter 7|Chapter 7]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume09:Chapter 8|Chapter 8]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume09:Chapter 9|Chapter 9]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume09:Chapter 10|Chapter 10]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume09:Afterword|Afterword]]

=== Volume 10 - This is the First Ma!Step! ===
*[[MaruMA:Volume10:Illustrations|Novel Illustrations]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume10:Prologue|Prologue]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume10:Chapter 1|Chapter 1]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume10:Chapter 2|Chapter 2]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume10:Chapter 3|Chapter 3]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume10:Chapter 4|Chapter 4]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume10:Chapter 5|Chapter 5]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume10:Chapter 6|Chapter 6]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume10:Chapter 7|Chapter 7]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume10:Short Story|Short Story]]

=== Volume 11 - This Will Become a Ma!Song! ===
*[[MaruMA:Volume11:Illustrations|Novel Illustrations]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume11:Prologue|Prologue]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume11:Chapter 1|Chapter 1]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume11:Chapter 2|Chapter 2]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume11:Chapter 3|Chapter 3]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume11:Chapter 4|Chapter 4]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume11:Chapter 5|Chapter 5]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume11:Chapter 6|Chapter 6]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume11:Chapter 7|Chapter 7]]
*[http://conradxyuuri.livejournal.com/243017.html#cutid1 Chapter 8 by pyrrhic_victoly]
*[[MaruMA:Volume11:Afterword|Afterword]]

=== Volume 12 - The Treasure is in the Ma!Soil! ===
*[[MaruMA:Volume12:Illustrations|Novel Illustrations]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume12:Prologue|Prologue]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume12:Chapter 1|Chapter 1]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume12:Chapter 2|Chapter 2]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume12:Chapter 3|Chapter 3]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume12:Chapter 4|Chapter 4]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume12:Chapter 5|Chapter 5]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume12:Chapter 6|Chapter 6]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume12:Chapter 7|Chapter 7]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume12:Chapter 8|Chapter 8]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume12:Afterword|Afterword]]

=== Volume 13 - The Box is Ma!Bottom of the Water! ===
*[[MaruMA:Volume13:Illustrations|Novel Illustrations]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume13:Prologue|Prologue]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume13:Chapter 1|Chapter 1]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume13:Chapter 2|Chapter 2]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume13:Chapter 3|Chapter 3]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume13:Chapter 4|Chapter 4]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume13:Chapter 5|Chapter 5]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume13:Chapter_6|Chapter 6]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume13:Chapter 7|Chapter 7]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume13:Chapter 8|Chapter 8]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume13:Who's the Demon King's future Queen?...! |Who's the Demon King's future Queen?...!]] [[http://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/50465121/Novela%2013%20-%20capitulo%20especial.pdf Spanish]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume13:Afterword|Afterword]]

=== Short Stories Volume 3 - Starting Today I'm the Ma!King!? ===
*[[MaruMA:Gaiden03:Illustrations|Novel Illustrations]]
*[https://docs.google.com/document/pub?id=1iN9rRhN5s2dbrwwgtkiTx2cjSKsvBu5_NVyYkCtBa0Y#cutid1 Chapter 1 Part 1] by pyrrhic_victoly
*[https://docs.google.com/document/pub?id=1e04HAwN8hIGJ-lfDSP2UOpBLYCtZ1cJgN5yGQJ4XgOY#cutid1 Chapter 2] by pyrrhic_victoly
*[https://docs.google.com/document/pub?id=17--kwAQsiExEC4l6efpTVmi2QJix-0HvsTcCO5SYAAs#cutid1 Chapter 3] by pyrrhic_victoly
*[https://docs.google.com/document/pub?id=1NrZt198gxSyAMVTb144BWoYhbroFPcdkzPX0vIAB5Qk#cutid1 Chapter 4] by pyrrhic_victoly
*[https://docs.google.com/document/pub?id=1DD5pV5jTbUgubq7jBdmBt5bopY4CF6jPaG__x9W-ppU#cutid1 Chapter 5] by pyrrhic_victoly

=== Volume 14 - The Sand is at the End of the Ma!Road! ===
*[[MaruMA:Volume14:Illustrations|Novel Illustrations]]
*[http://kyou-kara-maou.livejournal.com/1682136.html#cutid1 Chapter 1]
*[http://kyou-kara-maou.livejournal.com/1689137.html#cutid1#cutid1 Chapter 2]
*[http://kyou-kara-maou.livejournal.com/1714134.html#cutid1 Chapter 3 Part 1][http://kyou-kara-maou.livejournal.com/1715453.html#cutid1 Chapter 3 Part 2]
*[[MaruMA:Volume14:Chapter 4|Chapter 4]]
*[http://kyou-kara-maou.livejournal.com/1750461.html#cutid1 Chapter 5]
*[http://kyou-kara-maou.livejournal.com/1752526.html#cutid1 Chapter 6]
*[http://kyou-kara-maou.livejournal.com/1754671.html#cutid1 Chapter 7]
*[[MaruMA:Volume14:Chapter 8|Chapter 8]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume14:Short Story|Short Story]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume14:Afterword|Afterword]]

=== Volume 15 - Set Ma!Sail for Home! ===
*[[MaruMA:Volume15:Illustrations|Novel Illustrations]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume15:Prologue|Prologue]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume15:Chapter 1|Chapter 1]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume15:Chapter 2|Chapter 2]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume15:Chapter 3|Chapter 3]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume15:Chapter 4|Chapter 4]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume15:Chapter 5|Chapter 5]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume15:Chapter 6|Chapter 6]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume15:Chapter 7|Chapter 7]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume15:Chapter 8|Chapter 8]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume15:Afterword|Afterword]]

=== Short Stories Volume 4 - From the Ma!Kingdom, With Love ===
*[[MaruMA:Gaiden04:Illustrations|Novel Illustrations]]
*[[MaruMA:Gaiden04:Chapter_1|Chapter 1]]
*[[MaruMA:Gaiden04:Chapter 2|Chapter 2]]
*[http://conradxyuuri.livejournal.com/262544.html#t1975440 Chapter 3 by macimoci]
*[[MaruMA:Gaiden04:Chapter 4|Chapter 4]]
*[[MaruMA:Gaiden04:Chapter 5|Chapter 5]]
*[[MaruMA:Gaiden04:Chapter 6|Chapter 6]]
*[[MaruMA:Gaiden04:Chapter 7|Chapter 7]]

=== Volume 16 - Before Us is the Ma!Prison! ===
*[[MaruMA:Volume16:Illustrations|Novel Illustrations]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume16:Prologue|Prologue]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume16:Chapter 1|Chapter 1]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume16:Chapter 2|Chapter 2]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume16:Chapter 3|Chapter 3]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume16:Chapter 4|Chapter 4]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume16:Chapter 5|Chapter 5]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume16:Chapter 6|Chapter 6]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume16:Chapter 7|Chapter 7]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume16:Chapter 8|Chapter 8]]

=== Volume 17 - Behind Us is the Stone Ma!Wall!===
Behind the Stone Walls
*[[MaruMA:Volume17:Illustrations|Novel Illustrations]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume17:Prologue|Prologue]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume17:Chapter 1|Chapter 1]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume17:Chapter 2|Chapter 2]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume17:Chapter 3|Chapter 3]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume17:Chapter 4|Chapter 4]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume17:Chapter 5|Chapter 5]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume17:Chapter 6|Chapter 6]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume17:Chapter 7|Chapter 7]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume17:Chapter 8|Chapter 8]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume17:Chapter 9|Chapter 9]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume17:Chapter 10|Chapter 10]]
*[[MaruMA:Volume17:Chapter 11|Chapter 11]]

=== Volumen 18 - The Ma!Light Burns in the Darkness! ===

=== Kyou Kara Maou! Maou Tanjou Hen ===
*[http://otonashi-diva.livejournal.com/12090.html But My Heart Will Probably Beat Excitedly]

=== Kyou Kara Maou! Maou Houkou Hen ===
*[http://otonashi-diva.livejournal.com/11907.html Together with Father]

=== Special "ドキッ☆男だらけの深夜便"===

*[[MaruMA:VolumeAnissinaSpecial_Illustrations|Novel Illustrations]]
*[http://otonashi-diva.livejournal.com/12681.html 世界の国から毒女 Part 1]
*[http://otonashi-diva.livejournal.com/12996.html 世界の国から毒女 Part 2]
*CD Drama "Ｄの世界"

=== MA Hon===
*[http://otonashi-diva.livejournal.com/13095.html Getting to Know The Great Demon Kingdom by Walking Through a Ma!Town]
*[http://otonashi-diva.livejournal.com/13527.html Interview]
*[http://otonashi-diva.livejournal.com/13590.html Special Short Story: Replay (SSS Re:) 1-6]
*[http://otonashi-diva.livejournal.com/14063.html Special Short Story: Replay (SSS Re:) 7-13]
*[http://otonashi-diva.livejournal.com/14186.html Special Short Story: Replay (SSS Re:) 14-End]

=== [http://otonashi-diva.livejournal.com/7751.html Apollo 00] by Otonashi_diva===
[[MaruMA:Apollo00:Illustrations|Novel Illustrations]]

=== Apollo 01===
[[MaruMA:Apollo01:Illustrations|Novel Illustrations]]
*[http://otonashi-diva.livejournal.com/12493.html Alice by otonashi-diva]

== Staff ==
Supervisor:

Project Manager:

=== Translators ===
'''ACTIVE'''

:*[[user:LRenne|LRenne]]
:*[[user:Tati-ai|Tati-ai]]
:*[[user:ClavelSangrante|ClavelSangrante]] (Slowly...)
:*[[user:Alaxxis Sade|Alaxxis Sade]]
:*[[user:Rinetto chan|Rinetto chan]]
'''INACTIVE'''
:*Emeryl ([http://www.sakuracities.com/yaoigames/kkmnovel1.php Onadoru Euphoria])
:*[http://kannnichtfranz.livejournal.com/ kannnichtfranz]
:*Dannita
:*[[user:Stellarroze|stellarroze]]

=== Editors ===

:*[[user:Kira0802|Kira0802]]

:*[[user:Tasear|Tasear]] - awaiting a translator

:*[[user:TerryBoom|TerryBoom]]

== Series Overview ==

====Main Story====
* Kyou Kara Ma no Tsuku Jiyuugyou!
* Kondo wa Ma no Tsuku Saishuu Heiki!
* Konya wa Ma no Tsuku Dai Dassou!
* Ashita wa Ma no Tsuku Kaze ga Fuku!

===Caloria Arc===
* Kitto Ma no Tsuku Hi ga Noboru!
* Itsuka Ma no Tsuku Yugure ni!
* Ten ni Ma no Tsuku Yuki ga Mau!
* Chi ni wa Ma no Tsuku Hoshi ga Furu!

===Seisakoku Arc===
* Mezase Ma no Tsuku Umi no Hate!
* Kore ga Ma no Tsuku Daiippo!
* Yagate Ma no Tsuku Uta ni Naru!
* Takara wa Ma no Tsuku Chi no Naka!
* Hako wa Ma no Tsuku Mizu no Soko!
* Suna wa Ma no Tsuku To no Saki!
* Kokyou e Ma no Tsuku Kaji wo Tore!

===Prison Arc===
* Mae wa Ma no Tsuku Tetsugoushi!

===Gaidens===
* Heika to Ma no Tsuku TOSA Nikki!?
* Ojousama wa Kari no Sugata!
* Musoko wa Ma no Tsuku Jiyuugyou!
* Kyou Kara Maou?! Kumahachi Special
* Shin Makoku Yori Ai Wo Komete

==Pages==
*[http://kyoukaramaou.wikia.com/wiki/Media Kyou Kara Maou Wiki]
*[http://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E3%81%BE%E3%82%8B%E3%83%9E%E3%82%B7%E3%83%AA%E3%83%BC%E3%82%BA Japanese Wiki] (Maru-Ma Series)

[[Category:Light novel (English)]]
[[Category:Tomo Takabayashio]]

User talk:Alaxxis Sade

2015-01-22T14:18:48Z

Alaxxis Sade: /* Comments */

MaruMA:Volume10:Chapter 7

2015-01-21T15:22:09Z

Alaxxis Sade: Created page with "===Chapter 7=== In that moment when I fell, it never occurred to me that I was pushed down. When I drop into the sea headfirst, and my vision turns black, only then do I re..."

===Chapter 7===

In that moment when I fell, it never occurred to me that I was pushed down.

When I drop into the sea headfirst, and my vision turns black, only then do I remember that there was only him behind me then.

Contrasting the turbulent surface, the depths of the sea is so quiet you can’t hear anything, and not just because my hearing is numbed.

The dark silent sea feels like space as seen in the movies.

Even if my body is being sucked into the middle of a vortex, my heart remains very peaceful.

The miraculous thing is that I’m not at all afraid of death, just staring at the only hazy green patch in the darkness.

A few seconds ago, I was standing on the deck, thinking, ‘Anyone who falls into a sea like this will die for sure.’

Who would have thought that not only didn’t I die, I’m also surprisingly calm.

But just then, I feel an intense pain on my right arm, making me scream in spite of myself, I even thought that my arm would be pulled right off.

When I open my mouth, what flows in is seawater instead of air, not only choking my scream back in, but filling my throat and nose with salty water.

Now the pain is coming from my arm, then my throat and deep inside my nose.

Another force opposes the whirlpool, pulling me upwards. My own weight and the powerful force of nature trying to suck me up, all of it piles up on my arm. I pray to an unknown god non-stop, ‘I have to hang on’, ‘Just another second will be enough’, ‘Cut off this arm and be done with it!’

“…gah…”

When my face rises above the surface, all I hear is rumbling in my ears, and my body shakes violently with the waves.

I spit out the seawater, desperately opening my mouth like a dying fish, gulping in the air mingled with water spray.

Although I sink slightly several times, but I immediately float back up.

Because a wet rope is tightly wound around my right arm, someone is pulling me up.

“Your Majesty.”

“I hear… you.”

I do hear something, proving that I’m still alive. My eyes and ears work fine.

“Hang in there! Fix the rope on yourself and hold on tightly! Wind it around your waist!”

“Right!”

“I’m pulling you up, are you ready?!”

“Ye…”

I’m about to answer, and as a result seawater into my mouth together with the cough going backwards. Vomiting water unstoppably, I start suspecting how much water I actually drank, my entire lungs feel flooded.

The rope around my waist goes taut, and my body starts rising slowly. In the process, I hit the outer shell of the ship several times, the bruises on my back and waist increasing continuously, but I can’t complain about anything now, as long as I can get back onto the ship safely, that’s already the best thing that could happen in this string of bad luck. Surviving a fall into such a turbulent sea, that’s a miracle in itself.

No, I didn’t fall, I was pushed.

“Your Majesty!”

I’m practically carried over the deck rails. The word ‘Survival’ is spinning in my head to a cheering song, and the font is a very idiotic yellow Times New Roman.

I was on the brink of death just a second ago, so why is my brain reacting like this?

By now even Josak has forgotten his usual cheerful tone, grabbing my chin roughly. I use m=the hand that doesn’t hurt to touch his wet orange hair.

“Your Majesty?”

“Calm down, Josak… I’m fine, I can breathe on my own… You being clean-shaven made me think you were a girl, and I was so looking forward to CPR, heh.”

“Your Majesty… Young Master, phew~”

He releases a really long breath.

“Thank goodness, I even thought I couldn’t save you.”

“Don’t curse me, relax, I was only in for two, three seconds, and I didn’t drink too much water… I didn’t even get to see the Dragon Palace.”

Some of the crewmen who helped save me grab the rails and the rope, watching me closely, and when the ship starts slanting they quickly regain their balance.

This ship isn’t out of danger yet! They knew that I’m from an enemy country, but they still risked themselves to save me.

“Thanks, it’s all thanks to you that I…”

Seawater wells up as I cough, choking my throat and nose.

“Ah~ Young Master, just look at yourself, your entire face is covered with snot, your handsome image is all ruined now.”

“I was never handsome. Tissue, give me tissue!”

My hand wanders aimlessly looking for a luxury item that can’t possibly be found here, but all I see are those light brown eyes in front of me.

Even though the sea is turbulent, the sky is clear as can be.

The sunlight shines on the water, making it sparkle, but those familiar eyes alone remain dark, clouded, even those irises and their silver glow can’t be seen.

His expression doesn’t reveal anything about his thoughts.

When our gazes meet, his mouth twitches a little, and he lifts a foot, ready to take a step forth.

“I prefer tissue, because toilet paper will melt and become sticky. But why did I fall? I had Conrad by my side, and I still…”

Although he didn’t understand yet, but Josak stiffens upon hearing that name suddenly and of course there’s no way he’ll pretend this never happened.

From between me and Lord Weller, he says the truth with a husky voice.

Undoubtedly, he is seeking confirmation.

“Was it you?”

The other man doesn’t answer, just grips his hands, and pulls back the feet that were stepping forward. His chin is slightly taut, his back against the wall.

“You wanted His Majesty’s life? Has your conscience been eaten by the dogs?”

The purposefully lowered voice is the more terrifying for it.

I’m just thinking that Josak’s speed, melding three steps into one, is so quick it’s worth admiring, but I didn’t think that in the next second he would pull out a small silver knife and hold it next to Lord Weller’s cheek.

When did he hide that thing on himself? And he can even reach it whenever he wants? He bring his face so close to Lord Weller he can feel the latter’s breath,

“Lord Weller, you listen carefully! I’m warning you, never get close to His Majesty again. If you don’t heed my warning…”

After a long and heavy silence, he says in a voice so quiet I can barely hear it,

“…Watch out for your little life!”

I force my wet and heavy body to stand, just in time to see them, standing diagonally in front of me, and their expressions.

But suppressing his anger, Josak actually smiles, that’s the beast-like smile I’ve seen before.

“I never dreamed that I would one day speak like that to you!”

And the smile of an intelligent beast, at that.

“No… It’s a misunderstanding, I must have gotten it wrong.”

Trying to calm this storm, I grab the spy’s sleeve even though I’m soaked to the bone.

The white cloth is even stained by the paint on the deck.

“It’s a misunderstanding, Josak. I wasn’t pushed, I accidentally slipped and fell.”

The waves were beating on the deck, making it wet.

I was walking on the edge, paying attention only to the color of the whirlpool, so it’s not surprising that an accident happened.

“Conrad wouldn’t possibly want to kill me, right?”

I’m begging you, just nod. It doesn’t matter if it’s real or fake, just nod.

But Lord Weller doesn’t smile, he just shakes his head softly in denial.

“You shouldn’t be… so stupid, right?”

Right now I feel all the blood vessels heading to my brain expand. My face is burning, and my vision has gone bright red.

Though the pain burning from my temple is quickly stopped, but my instantaneously escalated heartbeat just can’t be slowed.

There’s a sentence stuck deep in my throat that I really want to yell out.

And I even feel a ringing in my ears like the sound of metal.

“If so…”

I force out my voice.

I keep telling myself to keep my cool, but it’s never succeeded before.

This is also my fatal weakness, all the way until now.

Although the Shou Shimaron crewmen and the shinzoku man we brought up from the bottom of the ship are watching us, I just can’t control my own emotions.

“If so you shouldn’t have saved me back then!”

Back when I was jumping onto the cargo ship, you shouldn’t have caught me, you could have just left me to my own end.

That was all you had to do.

And when we were ambushed by the masked soldiers, if you hadn’t stuck yourself out for me in that church, your left arm wouldn’t have been cut off, and you wouldn’t need to keep getting hurt for me.

All you had to was abandon me.

But why only now…!

“…Damn!”

I grab the cold stone on my chest, snapping the leather rope and tossing it to the ground.

My numb right arm makes a piercing sound when it knocks into something.

The maseki flies in a misshapen curve then bounces, finally falling onto the wet deck.

Even though I used so much force to throw it, it still didn’t crack or break.

The stone glimmers on the sunlight.

Perhaps it’s psychological, but the color seems whiter than when I wore it on my chest.

We’re all waiting for the other to say the next line.

Completely in the dark, the crewmen decide to continue watching, and the shinzoku man we brought out is just scared he’ll get caught in the mess.

Surrounded in the middle, the three of us want to make our own escapes, but we limit each other as we wait to see who will break the silence.

Just then, the one that breaks the silence is the creak of a door opening, and Saralegui, wearing a smile completely out of place in this mess.

In the corner of my vision, the shinzoku man shudders violently, even backtracking to the wall.

His golden eyes are wide and round with fear, his filthy forehead drenched in a cold sweat.

Looks like he knows that this boy with the noble aura, is the very mastermind behind their imprisonment at the bottom of the boat.

But the king doesn’t even look at the shivering man.

“Yuuri, the shaking seems to have calmed down a bit, maybe this is something like the eye of the storm…”

Poking his head out from the control room, Saralegui continues to consider the maseki on the ground and my expression.

“What happened?”

Not caring if his long robe will get dirty, he walks up to the stone, picking it up unhesitatingly with his white fingers.

“It dropped?”

Not by itself.”

“Then why… So beautiful, it’s really very beautiful. I say, Yuuri, do you want to trade with me for it?”

The young king says innocently, a childish desire rising on those petal-like lips.

I desperately swallow the words, ‘If you want it, you can have it’.

“I wonder what I have on me… to compare to this beautiful stone?”

As though picking out the snacks for a long trip, Saralegui starts searching his front and pockets.

Lord Weller warns his current employer,

“You can’t trade.”

“Why? This is proof of our friendship!”

Saralegui replies, tilting his head to a side. Even in such a horrible situation, his beautiful hair can still flow down his face and rest on his shoulders.

The movement he makes, pushing the stray hair back behind his ears with a fair slender finger, is still so graceful.

And then, when he sees his right hand in front of his eyes, his face blossoms into a smile.

“Right, this should do. This is a precious gem that can only be found in Shou Shimaron, it’s the parting gift my mother gave me before we separated when I was a child.”

He takes off the light red ring on his ring finger, trying to pass it to me. Instead of calling it light red, it’s more towards pale pink.

“I can’t accept that, I can’t take something so precious.”

“It’s okay, I want to give it to you.”

“Waa~ It’s so pretty, let Gurrier touch it, please~?”

The man who stands in between us speaking in a woman’s tone, puts both his hands together next to his face.

Perhaps happy that someone understands the value of the ring, Saralegui puts the ring on Josak’s large palm.

“…It’s really very pretty, too bad it’s just too small for Gurrier.”

He thoroughly checks out the inside and outside of the ring in record time, trying to determine if there are any traps on it.

I can’t help but admire him again, as an excellent soldier.

Saralegui doesn’t notice the way the adult world thinks.

Those beautiful fingers of his that never lifted anything heavy, touches my right hand gently.

Those nails filed until they looked like sakura shells hold the tiny circlet, and I notice that they’re all the same color.

There seem to be some words engraved on the inside of the ring, but they’re not clear because the writing is too thin, and the outside of the ring is engraved with twining rose vines and quite a number of suns.

He takes my calloused finger, trying to put the pink ring on it.

“Ouch!”

The ring gets caught on my ring finger joint, breaking the skin and causing me pain.

A king’s ring won’t fit these rough hands used for plying baseball at all. The Shou Shimaron king hmphs mischievously,

“…Looks like you can only wear it on the pinky. After all unlike me, your hands look a lot stronger and braver.”

“There’s no such thing!”

If I really was a brave man, I wouldn’t have been scared witless upon falling into the sea.

“Are you shivering, Yuuri?”

Saralegui hugs me suddenly, he seems to be fonder of skin contact that his appearance would suggest.

And yet, since I’ll start crying if I have to open my mouth again, his actions are exactly what I need.

“Poor thing! You must be so cold, you should get into the room for warmth now.”

That’s what I want to do, right now I’d rather hide under the cover immediately. I wish to take a hot soak and wash off the seawater on my body, then immediately lie on the soft bed and sleep all I want.

My hair, now dry, keeps tickling my nose, even I know that I’m dead tired now.

But I desperately resist the aching in my sore muscles, and leave Saralegui’s embrace.

“I can’t yet, I found someone with navigation experience among the shinzoku in the bottom of the boat, and he even has experience crossing this part of the sea.”

“You released the slaves?!”

“No, Sara. He’s not a slave, but an experienced crewman. He can help steer, y’know! So I have to stay by his side and watch him, after all I have a responsibility to look after him.”

Because I was the one who took him away from his companions, and brought him to a place where people looked at him as a slave.

So I have a responsibility to look after him.

“Regarding that matter, I also…”

“Didn’t I tell you not to get close?”

The loyal spy in the long-sleeved apron, holds the tip of a knife at Lord Weller’s throat when the latter tries to approach us.

“Don’t, Josak! He…”

For some reason, Saralegui is waiting for me to finish that sentence with bated breath, only my throat hurts as though it’s swollen.

“‘That person’ is the Shou Shimaron king’s escort, and the ambassador from Dai Shimaron. I do not wish to create tension between countries over such a trivial matter.”

My spy nods lightly, and withdraws his sword unhesitatingly, then turns around to ask me what I plan to do next.

“Although we’ve entered a temporary respite, but we’re not out of the danger zone yet. Telling me to wait in the cabin and wait for it patiently… That’s impossible~”

He shrugs his shoulders in surprise.

“I know, I know. Please bring my clothes and a woolen blanket, we’ll coop up in the control room together, and carefully watch him steer the ship.”

“I’m staying in the cabin.”

Maybe feeling a little cold, Saralegui rubs his hands and shivers.

“I’ve had enough of being drenched by seawater, I’m going back to the room and hugging a pillow to prevent any more damage to my body. I’ll get someone to serve you some hot drinks, Yuuri. Don’t push yourself too hard.”

Josak gives Saralegui an appreciative look, because he can use this as an excuse to chase away Lord Weller.

Different babysitters have to stay by the children they’re in charge of.

My right arm supporting my weight is a little painful, though.

Maybe I strained a tendon, everything from the nerves in the muscles outside to the joints on my pinky is numb.

“My arm hurts, if only Wolfram or Gisela were here now~”

“Can’t you heal it yourself? Young Master, isn’t your maryoku really strong?”

“I heard it was dangerous to use maryoku on human lands, and we’re approaching the country of the shinzoku no less! Murata and Wolf keep telling me again and again ‘don’t push yourself’, I’m sick and tired of hearing it.”

“Is that so~ Well, that’s inconvenient, huh~”

To test exactly how painful it is, I use my thumb and pointer to rub my arm a few times, and then force myself slightly to sway back and forth, left and right, if I’m just a bit off controlling the force used, an intense pain will attack me immediately.

The agonizing pain puts tears in my eyes, but I don’t tell anyone about it.

Still, if it can move, then that means it’s not a sprain. I’m actually quite lucky, I just need a muscle pain plaster and some bandages for this degree of pain.

“You won’t cry, huh.”

“Me, cry?! I won’t cry over a little bit of pain!”

“Then that’s good. Though since half of that was my fault, let me lick it a little!”

“No thanks! I’m not a puppy, it won’t get better even if you do lick it.”

Just imagining the spy who was crossdressing for a mission sticking out his red tongue, makes me smile bitterly.

Meanwhile, Josak closes the control room door with his back, making the room feel warmer.

“I wonder if there are painkillers on board?”

“Come on~ I’m an athlete, y’know! A baseball boy! A little injury like this is nothing to me. My body can take a lot of wear to begin with, just leave it and it’ll naturally get better. Right, let’s get ready to ask that shinzoku.”

I spread open the nautical map directly on the wet floorboards, and stare at it with the sailors.

“Remember to signal with your hands!”

This pain probably can’t be suppressed with any kind of medication, I know that better than anyone.

MaruMA:Volume10:Chapter 6

2015-01-21T15:06:22Z

Alaxxis Sade: /* Chapter 6 */

===Chapter 6===

“It failed!”

On the roof of some hotel in the city, Murata Ken pulls his head out of the murky water, while red and white koi fish swim around his knees.

Fishy water drips from his hair as he turns to Bob, sitting on a chair under an umbrella.

“How?!”

“This is the exact VTR.”(1)

No one would have thought that the man wearing sunglasses, cocking his head, and playfully speaking Japanese is the Maou controlling Earth.

But speaking of controlling, you could say it’s hard to compare between him and Bill Gates.

Leaving puddles of water on the dry cement, Murata stares at the plasma screen.

“Damn, I was so close to getting Shibuya there. As long as I can reach his soul or consciousness, the rest of it is my forte, by then I can use that to go to where he is. But… did you get it?”

“Mn, very clearly.”

Though the picture captured in the water is blurry, but Murata’s body was taken perfectly.

“For a midair garden full of floating stuff, this is a pretty clear shot.”

“Yeah.”

Shouri forces himself in between Bob and Murata, who are whispering to each other, with his forehead.

“But—If we really get to the other world through a dirty pool on top of a hotel, wouldn’t it be ludicrous if we caused the koi to continuously disappear? Only cute spot-billed ducks and their babies can start a journey from this sort of place, wasn’t it?”

Looking down from the bridge, Shibuya Shouri makes sarcastic comments while he stares at Bob’s hand.

Only because he really wants to know if his brother’s ‘special’ friend was telling the truth.

“It’s not a matter of the location, you know! JUNIOR, what matters is the timing.”

“Didn’t I tell you not to call me JUNIOR, I’m not your son… Waa!”

Halfway through the recording, the top half of Murata’s body disappears, and the one who yells is Shouri, from up on the bridge.

He grabs the red rails, shouting,

“H-he vanished! That’s too weird, hey!”

“You can pretend it’s supernatural photo and submit it, friend of my brother. But please don’t forget to block my eyes with black lines.

Murata looks fascinated as he points at the upside-down images.

“See, we got so many. But after this one, a force from the other side immediately pushes me back here. So forget bringing Shibuya back, I even felt the space over here and over there colliding head-on, and both sides would bounce back to their original position. Otherwise, there would be a split second’s chance to catch up to him.”

Murata, who had instantaneously appeared in the image, disappears from waist up again.

Though this time it only lasts for a few seconds, and not too long later his entire body is floating on the surface.

“See? Because Shibuya’s existence isn’t very stable as it is, so sometimes I can feel it, and sometimes I can’t, I couldn’t get any clues at all that second time. What kind of place is he, exactly?”

“Probably somewhere maryoku can’t reach?”

“Obviously, otherwise I’d feel more spirited, maybe even full of life. And also, this is useless now too, because the power is too weak to bring him back.”

Murata takes the golden brooch off his chest as he says that.

After waving off the water on his glasses, he puts it on his palm and scrutinizes it closely.

“It wasn’t Shibuya’s to start with, so the attraction is rather weak. It might sound weird, saying it like this, but even if I follow his on-and-off trail, there’s not enough power to get to where he is. On a side note, which clan’s emblem is this? This should be a bird, right? It’s been a few thousand years in this place, I can’t remember emblems at all.”

“I think this kind of thing lives around Austria, but when it comes to emblems, every clan seems more or less the same. I know I can’t tell at all, does that count as a bird? I always thought it was a crocodile looking sideways.”

To Shouri, who is standing at the side, their conversation gives him the urge to ram his head into the wall.

Normal people wouldn’t confuse birds and bugs, right? The guy with the sunglasses, is there something wrong with his head?

Earth, is this okay?

Is it really okay to make an Uncle like this Maou?

He’s the old man who was dancing the samba in the shopping streets with a cane in one hand, you know?

“…Better to just skip being governor, and jump straight to being Maou of the financial world.”

He’s starting to feel that it’d be better for him to inherit the position of Maou, perhaps that was Bob’s plan all along.

But now isn’t the time to be worrying about the future of the Earth, because his only brother was taken to an unknown world and has yet to return.

Wait for me, Yuu-chan! Big brother will come save you now!

“Hey, hey! The white glasses and black glasses up front!”

“What is it, colored glasses?”

“Don’t call me colored glances! Let me go to that world too, c’mon, let me try, for all you know, I might be able to just flow over to Yuu-chan, just like that? After all, he and I share the same blood!”

“Don’t be stupid!”

The old and new glasses people immediately retort.

“Didn’t I already tell you, Shibuya’s older brother? That’s completely impossible, even if the entire Taepodong(2) explodes. I have the soul of the Daikenja who was born there, and even then I faced a lot of hardships because I lived on Earth for too long. For someone like you, who was mentally and physically MADE IN Earth and have no maryoku whatsoever, it’s impossible to get to that other world. If you don’t have a particularly strong power leading you, it’s mission impossible. Unless Mount Fuji erupts, or the Niagara Falls flow backwards.

That’s just plain impossible.

“Even I didn’t think it would be so hard, after all I’ve already completely become an Earthling. No, who would have guessed that ‘nurture’ beats ‘nature’(3), huh.”

“JAPANESE idioms really describe things well. Now what, Murata? Wanna go to the duck pond and try again?”

Murata shakes himself, trying to get the fishy water off his body, and sneezes loudly.

He looks just like a long-haired dog.

“When is R-Rodriguez getting here?”

On the other hand, the last man in the glasses trio crosses his legs on the red bridge and sits back down. Fiddling with his short student-like fringe, he mutters ineligibly,

“…Niagara… To make Niagara flow backwards… First I need a passport.”

Being a committed brother, he has even prepared himself mentally to break the law, but his target doesn’t seem to be Mount Fuji.

**

Feeling insecure about his subordinates’ firepower, Lord von Bielefeld secretly sighs again, his tightly-knit brows ruining his handsome features.

Theoretically, he can understand why the strategy is to have those with no maryoku as the central fighting force.

“So then you will steer this ‘Friends on the Sea’ to Seisakoku, I trust you have no objections?”

“It is my honor, Your Excellency Wolfram!”

Captain Sizemore, whose principle is ‘the world’s seas are my seas’, also known as ‘the Drastic Action Sea Monk’ salutes, his back completely straight. The warrior of the sea gives off a feeling of solemnity and authority.

“But the mission this time isn’t limited to just the sea, you may be forced into operating on land… No objections there either, right, Sizemore?”

“Of course not, Your Excellency. Whether fortunate or otherwise, even though I was born as a mazoku and have very little hair, I never had any maryoku. Still, I hope that the skills and courage that I have accumulated all those years on the sea through booze, tears, men and women, can be of use on land.”

“Mn. Ah—You said trained through men and women… N-never mind. To us, Seisakoku is an unknown continent, we have no idea what harsh environments await us. It could be a desert where dry winds run wild, or a swamp where the air is moist enough to feel, and the smell of rot permeates. This trip could be torture, but before we bring His Majesty back safely, I hope you will stay strong to the end of the mission.”

“L-leave it to me, Your Excellency! As for how to deal with the harsh surroundings, we will shave all our hair, cleanly and completely, before leaving, so please don’t worry!”

Though he says the words with his mouth, perhaps he’s reluctant to part with his beautiful hair, because Sizemore’s eyes are clouded with tears.

“Are you talking about hair? Don’t tell me you’re talking about hair? If so then there’s no need to shave it off, it’s better to let it grow naturally, y’know.”

Seeing the Wolfram he always treated as a kid mature into an adult so obviously, Sizemore is rather touched and starts sobbing.

Eventually the snot doesn’t stop flowing, so he can only suck it back desperately.

“Ah~ Your Excellency, who would have thought that you’ve already grown up, and into such a handsome young adult! As your grandfather, I’m so happy!”

“When did you become my grandfather? Didn’t we just meet for the first time last year?”

“And surely your mother on the other side of the star must be ecstatic too!”

“Sizemore! Have you joked enough? My mother is very much alive. Not only that, she’s alert on the lookout for the chance to have another child.”

The next one should be a girl, having a daughter will definitely be great.

Her Majesty the previous Maou touched her youngest son’s golden hair, staring dreamily at the face that looks so much like hers.

As a woman, she still wants to enjoy her life for a lot longer.

“As Lord von Christ and I are unable to come with you, Sizemore, the leading power goes to you. Based on your previous results on the battlefield, I feel very assured. But this mission is after all different from a war, where you kill the enemy before you. Do you understand, Captain? I believe in your abilities, and hope that you do not disappoint.”

“L-l-leave it to me!”

“And then bring that miscellaneous man Dakaskos with you… You may feel that there are too few soldiers, but I will do my best to send a second team as reinforcements. I will also dispatch a medical team and supplies, I hope you can wait patiently.”

“If you’re talking about the medical team, there’s no need to wait.”

Restored to her kind personality, Gisela gives a determined but friendly smile.

“I’ll come with you, in my father’s place.”

“But Gisela, didn’t you say that people with strong maryoku will feel extremely uncomfortable? Then you…”

“Yes, you are absolutely right. The closer we get to Seisakoku, the stronger the discomfort, and it’s possible that majutsu can’t be used either, the abilities of the healing hand will also disappear. But Your Excellency, I just hope you will understand this. Healing was never just majutsu. The true essence of healing is the healer’s heart, a kind heart is a necessity, and the most important thing is the modesty of wanting to heal the wounded.”

“…Modesty is the most important?”

The hands she put on Wolfram’s shoulders exert some force, threatening the immediate safety of his shoulders.

“That’s why, Your Excellency, even if I’m unable to use majutsu I still want to head to Seisakoku, and continue healing my beloved soldiers, or any local casualties. Did you know, Your Excellency? The military academy’s famous medical instructor… ‘The Men Lose Their Ears’, what her famous last words were?”

Shaken continuously by the agitated Gisela, Wolfram’s blended right brain finally remembers the portrait hanging in the academy.

“‘The Men Lose Their Ears’… I remember, it’s the White Demon?”

“She once said, ‘Why do we heal? Because the wounded are piled right there!’”

Hey~ It shouldn’t be ‘piled’, it should be ‘lying’, right? Why did she treat soldiers like objects?

But just when the Sergeant’s powerful words pump up everybody present—

There’s a terrifying sound of something being dragged down the hallway, and low moans, sending chills down everyone’s spines.

“Wol—fram--!”

Psssst—Psssst---

“Wo—lfra—m!”

Psssst—Psssst---

Dakaskos’ voice is trembling when he speaks, while Wolfram points at himself warily.

“Y-Your Excellency, that’s calling you.”

“Mi? It’s calling mi?”

Just as everyone’s fear peaks, someone roughly kicks open the previously shut door to the captain’s quarters.

The brave muscleman—Adalbert opens the door when everyone is waiting with bated breath.

“Waa!”

The door slamming into his face, Lord von Christ Günter falls over comically.

“What, so it was Günter?”

“It’s wrong to say it like that, right? I dragged my houryoku-affected spinning head, and my body that cannot walk properly due to seasickness, and worked so hard just to get here!”

He makes it sound like such a monumental task, but the problem is the room where he was resting is just next door.

As soon as Lord von Christ Günter sits down on the chair his adopted daughter offers him, he puts an expression that says ‘And now I want to drink tea’.

It is only when Wolfram rolls his eyes at him that he remembers his reason for coming to this room.

“Right, right, the reason I dragged myself here despite my illness… Wolfram, it’s because I thought of the ideal way to help you, whose maryoku is weaker than mine.”

“You say my maryoku is weaker than yours?”

Hearing the displeased tone coming from the pretty boy with high self-esteem, Günter suddenly shouts,

“Do you want to go to Seisakoku—?”

“I want, I want to go—”

Not only is he instantly hooked by the nose, Wolfram even raises his hand.

“Very well. Then allow me to perform the von Christ clan’s secret technique, passed down through many generation, on your body.”

Stop pretending, Wolfram looks at his adopted daughter Gisela suspiciously.

But perhaps she didn’t hear what her adopted father was saying, because she’s looking off to the side.

“Although it was never used on anyone before, this is my top secret specialty.”

“Specialty? It’s not something like sex reassignment or appendicitis, is it?”

“That’s surgery, not specialty, and besides, you should ask Anissina for something like that. Mine is an even more transcending specialty, it’s a forbidden technique to completely seal of the opponent’s maryoku.”

“Forbidden technique… You aren’t using me as an experiment, are you?!”

“Of course not, that was a very rude thing to say. Don’t compare me to Anissina, that’s rather hurtful.”

Günter pushes up the reading glasses he’s been wearing a lot recently, frowning the face pale from blood loss and the influence of houjutsu.

“The reason you can’t head to Seisakoku, is because your maryoku is still considered strong. So if you seal it, you should be able to go to His Majesty’s side…”

He throws open his arms, covered with too many ornaments on his sleeves, and suddenly takes Wolfram into his embrace.

Everyone holds their breath and focuses on the scene before them, because it looks like a huge bear attacking a small deer.

“L-let go of me, Günter! I can’t bre… Are you trying to kill me… Hugging so tightly!”

“Ah~ Mm, Wolfram, so mean~ Aha—Mm!”

“Let go… Let… Really…”

“Ah—Don’t tell me, Wolfram, OH—YEAH—”

He wraps the frozen Lord von Bielefeld into his arms, even pulling up his beautiful pale grey hair with his hands, and then, making some heart-breaking panting sounds, rubs his own head as though he’s washing his hair, an action worthy of being known as history’s most outstanding destructive force.

Gisela has gone white, and this does not mean she was born White Gisela.

She just doesn’t want to face her respected adopted father’s dramatic change in personality when it comes to real life.

As for everyone else, they remain completely silent, and turn around as one unit, banging their heads onto the wall fiercely.

Because they can’t watch anymore, and go on to decide that such a terrifying image must never linger in their memory.

It should be a dream, this is definitely a dream.

That beautiful prime minister—Lord von Christ Günter, actually reached his demonic claws out to Yuuri’s fiancé, His Excellency Wolfram!

Amongst the people ramming into the wall with empty eyes, only Sizemore and Adalbert are mumbling, ‘like father, like son’.

Even though the two don’t share any blood relations, they still managed to become such an intimate father and son pair.

Only Maxine, lying in a corner of the room, has his eyes tightly closed and froze like a stone.

He is the only person to witness the historical secret technique with his own eyes.

After a period of time so long people started mistaking it for forever, Lord von Christ finally leaves Wolfram’s side and sits on the chair.

“Oh-ho, thanks for that—”

It could just be a psychological effect, but it seems as though his skin is smoother and shinier, his cheeks flushed and bright, just like a cat who just ate the canary.

Having just absorbed the essence of youth, the super bishie looks like he even wants a toothpick to clean his teeth after a good meal.

On the other hand, released from his embrace, Wolfram’s body has gone completely limp, and he falls to his knees like a young lady, staying there motionlessly.

“Y-Your Excellency, Your Excellency Wolfram?!”

Gisela pats his cheeks gently a few times before he finally regains consciousness.

Being even more heartless than his daughter, Günter just sits on his chair and looks down at Wolfram.

“Good, now stand up, Lord von Bielefeld Wolfram. After that, the maryoku that always existed within your body has been wrapped up by that shiny membrane of mine, and won’t be released until I undo the technique. In other words I will always exist within you, so even if my body can’t go with you, my soul can follow you to His Majesty’s side.”

And therein lay his true intentions.

He isn’t just purely sympathizing with Wolfram, what he really wants is to use this chance to go to Yuuri’s side.

And his chosen method is by having part of his spirit hitchhike on someone else’s body, a method that troubles others.

“Why does it have to be you, of all people? And in my body?! Stop joking around, I don’t want accept such a disgusting secret technique!”

“But it’s already cooked and ready~”

Don’t talk like that! That’s disgusting! Everyone scorns him like okonomiyaki lovers. And Hiroshima-style okonomiyaki is His Majesty’s favorite.

[T/N: These lines are mixed up in the raws, the Japanese-Chinese translator apologized for them orz Günter’s line is something like ‘xxxxx done xxxxxxxx’, and the first two short exclamation sentences had some pun to do with okonomiyaki…)

“You want to go, right? You want to go to His Majesty’s side?”

“O-Of course I do.”

“Then what else is there to worry about? Now that your maryoku is more or less gone, you can head to Seisakoku, flooded with houjutsu users! Although I don’t want to be connected to you physically and spiritually twenty-four seven either, but in order to go to His Majesty’s side, it’s the only choice I have. Since my physical body cannot be used, at the very least I have to put in some effort with my soul. Ah~ Your Majesty… If it’s possible, how I’d love to be one with you. I’m already tired of this body and its naturally powerful maryoku… Cough! Coughcough!”

When he takes his hand away from his mouth, he finds it stained with bright red blood.

Günter slumps weakly to the ground, saying,

“…Goodness, it’s blood.”

“It came from your nose, your nose.”

“We digress! Anyway, Wolfram, I’m pinning all my hopes on you now. Come, take this with you.”

He pulls away the sleeve ornaments and reaches inside, pulling out a thin circle of string and forcefully hanging it around Wolfram’s –who has
yet to recover—neck, there’s even a pale grey pouch hanging on the end of the circle.

“God—It’s wet! Why is it wet?!” (TN: The Chinese term can already be read as ‘Heavens’, but that doesn’t sound like something Wolf would say…)

“It’s not wet, it’s just a little moist, perhaps it caught some of my sweat when I was sleeping. That’s a charm woven from my hair, a hundred per cent pure hair, I call it ‘Günter’s Protection’.”

Lord von Bielefeld feels as though he’s been cursed. Looks like he’ll either be strangled, or decapitated in his sleep. Deep disgust almost makes him faint.

“It’s too—too disgusting…”

“Listen carefully, when you’re in mortal danger, you just have to grip this ‘Günter’s Protection’ tightly and chant the mantra, ‘Gün Gün Gün Gün Gün, Gün Gün Gün Gün Gün, Gün Gün Gün Gün Gün’, and I may even be able to go to the place you are.”

“Another long, stupid and meaningless sentence.”

“Uh—Can we open our eyes now?”

Dakaskos, who was ramming into the wall until the last moment, asks timidly. Maybe he finally noticed the atmosphere, because Lord von Christ looks around on his knees, realizing that everyone looks pale.

“What happened? What a sad thing it is, that witnessing such a rare ceremony is enough to scare you all witless? Ah! How embarrassing, how can you take up the grand mantle of His Majesty’s sword and shoield like that?”

Listening to those words coming from a man bleeding from his nose, everyone can’t find the energy to be angry.

Günter puts one hand on his chest and the other on top of that, the stance of someone praying to His Majesty Shinou.

“Ah~ Your Majesty, von Christ Günter feels deeply uneasy, seeing these cowardly and incompetent soldiers, led by a child of only eighty-two. O wise Shinou, please assist this last-moment tracker team.”

Even this is just an old man’s joke, if he’s allowed to continue, there’s no telling what he might say.

Wolfram angrily pulls Günter’s chair and sits on it, saying,

“So you look down on my ability?”

“Of course not. Based on your combat experience, though, I’m a little worried about your capability to lead when the two sides collide. I don’t know if you can make the right decisions…”

Despite just having lost to Lord Weller due to insufficient combat experience, he pretends that never happened and continues spouting big words with his hand on his forehead.

“Sizemore is brave and valiant, but he is, after all, more used to battles on the seas; instead of asking Dakaskos to pick up a sword, he would be more useful with a broom. Can a combination like this really bring back His Majesty? Firstly, in firepower alone I feel uneasy. A Wolfram who can’t use flames, is like melon bread without melon.”

This slightly difficult simile causes everyone to ponder for a while. Although Lord von Bielefeld purposely keeps his tone low, there’s no hiding the frustration in his heart.

“But the situation being as it is now, there’s no way to increase our firepower, unless you want us to wait until brother sends the Shin Makoku fleet over? You should have heard about the unnatural current near that continent, right? The time interval for sailing is almost over, if we postpone this any longer, there’s no guaranteeing we can reach Seisakoku safely.”

“That’s right, theoretically it should be like that…”

“Let me go too!”

The previously silent Adalbert leaves the wall he was leaning on.

“Feels quite interesting, let me give it a try.”

His sturdy chest is trembling with curiosity, and each side is taking turns to twitch, too.

“You might not know this, but I’ve long ago abandoned my identity as a mazoku and my maryoku, so be it mazoku soil or a continent full of houryoku, there’s no difference to me. Maybe I’m unable to fight nobly like you all, but another sword arm is another…”

“Stop joking! Who wants to borrow your power!”

Wolfram yells, interrupting the traitor of the mazoku.

Technically he should maintain the dignity of a leader, and keep his composure, but he just can’t help it.

“How can we let the man who betrayed us, and who hates the mazoku, approach such an important king?”

“Hold it, stubborn brat!”

“Shut up, puppet muscleman! You have no right to call me that! And where did you learn my nickname from anyway?!”

“From a hotel full of female students.”

Adalbert replies calmly, such an interesting rumor had actually crossed borders.

“Hey hey hey, there’s no need to get so agitated over a nickname, right? Besides, if you won’t let me board the same ship just because I abandoned my identity as a mazoku, isn’t that rather unfair? You’re the commander in charge of an important battle, it won’t do for you to be so narrow-minded, huh?”

“What…”

Those blue eyes look down at Wolfram, who stood abruptly, from above.

“What a joke. You’re in charge of such an important mission, and you don’t even have the magnanimity to work together with a hated enemy? I really sympathize with the soldiers who have to work under such a narrow-minded commander.”

Feeling as though his innermost thoughts were seen through, Wolfram bites his lip tightly.

His patience as one of the Ten Nobles, and as the Maou’s trusted subordinate, is actually being tested by someone he never even imagined.

Just a simple sentence, and he can reject this man’s proposal, sending other loyal soldiers to assist.

But if someone asks him if that’s the best decision, he simply can’t guarantee that with a clear conscience.

If he wants to build a strong tracking team, then Adalbert’s participation won’t be any loss.

He is also a fighter, it’ll be okay if he is treated as just another pawn.

And as long as a close eyes is kept on him to ensure he doesn’t do anything that may harm them, then there shouldn’t be any problems.

All that’s left is Wolfram’s own emotions, and there should be a sway to control that.

He tries his best to convince himself,

“This is for Yuuri.”

Wolfram glares at the other man’s eyes, opens his tightly-bitten lips, and remembers to curse ‘you split-open butt-chin’ before replying,

“…Fine, I’ll let you on Sizemore’s ship.”

“That’s the way, ah~ Right, I wanna bring this guy along too.”

He pokes the caterpillar-like object thrown on the ground with the tips of his toes.

“That’s the man who wanted to assassinate me and Yuuri!”

“Putting aside how hard it was for me to steal him especially out of Shou Shimaron’s prisons, I have no intention of letting him ride comfortably to Shin Makoku, and the simplest way is to stuff him on this ship. There’s no need to treat him as a person, either, just treat him as part of my luggage.”

“…Up to you!”

Looking at his lips, curving up happily for goodness knows what reason, Wolfram turns around wordlessly, and after throwing down a simple ‘you make sure to watch him properly’, he leads Sizemore out of the room.

Because there are tons of things to prepare, and since Lord von Christ is unable to come with, everything can only be left to him.

“Hmph!”

The muscleman continues smiling evilly, and even hums happily.

Things are getting more and more interesting, it’s been a long time since he was this happy.

He just didn’t think that the third son, known for his hard-headedness, also has a leader’s ability to make the right choice.

Looks like people do change, but that should also be something to do with the rookie Maou’s appearance.

When the image of black hair and eyes floats into his mind, his expression relaxes unconsciously.

“Right, now let’s see what expression that spoiled third son will have!”

“Adalbert!”

Hearing that deep voice call his name, all the muscles in his body tense in spite of himself.

Lady von Christ Gisela is standing half a step away from him.

“W-what, so it’s Sergeant?”

Just a mention, but her actual position isn’t sergeant, that’s just the way people call her for convenience.

“Here’s something for you.”

Gisela hands a small red bottle over to Adalbert.

“It’s not the antidote, but use it when you want to get rid of Serum I’s effects.”

“What’s this?”

“Sheesh, have you already forgotten? This is for the ex-Shou Shimaron soldier lying over there!”

She moves her empty hand to her mouth, and puts a finger on her lips, signaling, ‘This is a secret’.

A chill runs down Adalbert’s back suddenly, and he can’t help but take a few steps back.

“The effects of the medicine should start working soon, I’ll protect you two with a blurred gaze.”

“Protect what?”

“Hehehe… Hehehehehehehe…”

Gisela smiles the smile of someone planning something naughty, then backs away quickly.

Her legs barely move at all, and the effect is so terrifying, even the usually domineering muscleman gets goosebumps.

“W-what do you want to protect?”

What kind of medicines are MaChicken Danger Serum I and II, exactly? Adalbert shudders the muscles he was always so proud of, and picks up the manual on the ground.

The white paper is covered with red and black ink handwriting, just looking at it feels ominous. That ice cold script is undoubtedly Anissina’s.

“What… An invention that transcends this generation—MaChicken Danger Serum will open a new world for fowl-haters everywhere…

“The chickens who just yesterday hated you and sprayed sand at you, will today become your most loyal subordinates! You just have to feed newborn chicks Serum I, and the amylase within will make the chicks take the first person they see to be their father, without question.

“Likewise, by feeding the chicks Serum II, the isoflavones will cause the chicks to consider the other party as their mother, and become ‘useless scum you can boss around’.

“However, of both serums are used together, they will strengthen the chicks’ assistive acids, creating an emotion surpassing chickens and humans, so it is fairly dangerous.

“That is indeed very dangerous… Ah?!”

Adalbert turns around, feeling a passionate gaze on him.

Only to see Crop Pony, who has gotten his upper body free, looking up at him.

His left hand is supporting his body on the ground, his right hand stroking his mustache gracefully, and his lower body wrapped in the wool carpet is stretched completely straight.

His pose is that of a mermaid.

Shocked, Adalbert reads the manual in his hands again.

“Feed Serum I… will take the first person they see to be their father…”

“…Lord Father?”

The question mark at the end of his question causes all the hairs on Adalbet’s body to stand on end.

“H-hey, hey, hey! What are you playing at, Maxine? Don’t look at me like that! And why the hell are you blushing for! I’m not your father?!”

Looks like Lady von Karbelnikoff invented something useless again.

1. Video tape recoding.

2. Refers to a series of North Korean missiles, such as Taepodong-1 and Taepoding-2, each divided into further stages.

3. The idiom in Chinese is literally ‘Get close to the cinnabar and you’ll be stained red’, I have no idea if that was the original intention in Japanese.